Ga. Man Accused of Murdering His Young Daughters by Locking Them in Car and Setting It on Fire

Adan Tzoyohua Panzo was charged with felony murder, malice murder and arson in connection with the killings

• Adan Tzoyohua Panzo allegedly set the vehicle on fire with his daughters inside, Georgia officials say

• Panzo allegedly began the attack during a domestic dispute with his wife, per police

• His daughters, ages 1 and 3, were reportedly found dead inside the burning car

Authorities say they have arrested and charged a father of two after police found his two daughters dead in a burning car at a Preston, Ga., home over the weekend.

Authorities arrested Adan Tzoyohua Panzo 36, and charged him with felony murder, malice murder and arson in connection with the killings, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.

The incident took place just a little before midnight on Friday, a GBI spokesperson told PEOPLE.

Georgia authorities responded to the scene of a vehicle fire and made the gruesome discovery of the bodies of Panzo’s daughters, ages 1 and 3, according to the statement.

First responders discovered the two children “dead inside the vehicle,” the statement said.

“Further investigation led them to arrest Panzo after allegations that he set the vehicle on fire during a domestic dispute with his wife,” the statement added.

Webster County Fire Chief Cody Brown said authorities were notified on their way to the scene about two children inside the car, according to WALB.

“My guys were told on the way to the call that there was two children in the car. They got on scene, pulled lines, and extinguished the fire,” he said, per the outlet.

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Local residents in the tight-knit community are reeling after the killings, WALB reported.

“I don’t know how fast the fire took off or if they suffered or if they [weren't] suffering,” one resident, who was not named, told WALB. “I don’t know, it’s just really sad to hear about."

The autopsies for the children were not completed as of Monday afternoon and a cause of death had not been determined for the children, a GBI spokesperson told PEOPLE.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Webster County Sheriff’s Office at 229-828-7503 or the GBI regional investigative office in Americus at 229-931-2439. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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