Neighbors discover bullet-riddled bodies in suburban Houston

HOUSTON -- When Angel Amador saw neighbors running and heard screams in his normally quiet, tree-lined street, he figured someone needed help.

But what he found two houses down was a gruesome scene beyond help: In the living room were the bullet-riddled bodies of Tiffany Rowell, 18, and three of her friends.

"When we walked in, what we saw was Tiffany sitting on the couch. She had blood all on her chest and a hole in her head," Amador said Saturday.

"Another guy was sitting on the couch. It looked like they were watching TV. The TV was on. I saw a bullet hole in his head, and his shirt was covered with blood."

On Sunday, Houston Police identified the three other victims as Marcus Ray Precella, 19; Rachel Ann Koloroutis, 18; and Adelbert Nicholas Sanchez, 21.

Amador has lived two houses away from Tiffany and her father, Chester D. Rowell, a San Jacinto College music instructor, for about 15 years.

After spotting the two bodies on the couch Friday night, Amador noticed blood on the carpet, empty beer cans and pizza boxes and looked toward another girl in front of the TV. She, too, had been shot and was face down in a pool of blood.

Another neighbor, Doyle Smith, frantically went through the house searching other rooms for anyone who might be alive, Amador said. Smith then noticed a fourth person, a male, behind the couch, also shot.

Detectives said each of the victims was shot multiple times and two had blunt trauma to their heads. Officials said they have no motive.

Chester Rowell, 57, was helping another daughter move when the tragedy occurred, neighbors said.

Amador said Tiffany's mother died of cancer several years ago and her father had remarried and moved to another home. Rowell allowed his daughter to stay in the house in Clear Lake, a suburb in south Houston, so she could graduate from her high school, Amador said.

He said Tiffany Rowell had lived at the home with her boyfriend for a while and the house had become a hangout for local teens.

"There were a lot more kids coming in and out of there," he said.

Tiffany Rowell graduated from Clear Lake High School in May, Amador said. He said she was a polite girl who never caused problems.

On Saturday, a stuffed animal, two roses and a bunch of daisies had been laid at the front doorstep.

"You hope that something like this happened over some reason," Smith said. "I would like to have some sense of reason."