Redding >> The bodies of four adults, two dogs and a cat were found in the rubble of a Bella Vista home that burned Sunday afternoon, and all four of the adults and at least one of the dogs had been shot.

Cal Fire responded around 5 p.m. Sunday to the burning home on Bella Vista Court, about six miles northeast of Redding, according to a press release issued Monday afternoon by the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office. Firefighters initially found one deceased person inside.

The majority of the roof of the home collapsed during the fire, covering the interior of the residence with attic and roofing material, the release said. When firefighters were able to enter the home they discovered the other three bodies and the bodies of the dogs and cat inside.

A man and a woman were found in the living room with gunshot wounds, and a small-caliber handgun was found near the woman’s body, the release said. The other man and woman were found in a bedroom with gunshot wounds.

The location and number of gunshot wounds to each victim will not be released until completion of autopsies, the release said. At least one of the dogs had been shot.

Detectives from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit are investigating the deaths as a suspected murder-suicide, based on physical evidence at the scene, the release said.

The identities of the two men and women may be released following notification of next of kin and autopsies, scheduled for later in the week, the release said.

Cal Fire is investigating the cause of the fire.

Anyone with information about this investigation is urged to call the Major Crimes Unit a 530-245-6135 or write to mcu@co.shasta.ca.us.