Two people were killed inside a Far Rockaway, Queens home on July 25, 2026. Clemer Ponce, 56, and her 28-year-old daughter Selena Ponce were found dead in the charred remains of their Ocean Crest Boulevard residence; Clemer had a gunshot wound to the upper right chest and Selena had been shot in the right shoulder. The family dog and cat also died from smoke inhalation.

The situation began when the wife of 33-year-old Kegan Thomas called 911 saying Thomas was armed with a shotgun and had killed family members, and warning he had a history of mental illness. Officers arrived to find a barricaded scene; a large explosion and ensuing fire occurred as the Emergency Service Unit prepared to enter. Thomas emerged from the burning house in a tactical vest still armed with the shotgun. After refusing commands to drop the weapon, officers shot and critically wounded him. He was taken to a hospital and charged with murder, attempted murder, arson, aggravated cruelty to animals, and criminal possession of a weapon.

Neighbors and family friends expressed shock and said there had been long-standing fears about Thomas’s behavior; NYPD said Thomas had no prior criminal record or documented mental health interactions with them. Does anyone have information about the family, the neighborhood, or what led up to that afternoon?