Police presence reduced at site of Guilderland slayings

PHOTOGRAPHER: Patrick Dodson

Investigators remain on the scene of a quadruple homicide on Western Avenue in Guilderland on Friday, October 10, 2014, two days after first discovered.

As the size of the police presence outside the green Cape Cod home at 1846 Western Ave. has waned, the number of flowers left by a front yard tree in memory of the four slain family members who lived there has grown.

Across the street, white ribbons tied to telephone poles line the block of the busy Route 20 corridor.

The investigation into the quadruple murder entered Day 6 Monday.

The victims have been identified by state police as Jin Feng Chen, age 39, and his wife, Hai Yan Li, age 38. Their children, also slain, were identified by the Guilderland School District as 10-year-old fifth-grader Anthony Chen and 7-year-old second-grader Eddy Chen; they attended Guilderland Elementary School.

State police said Monday afternoon that there was no updated information on the investigation.

Only two police cars, one each from the town and state police, were parked in the driveway in the Westmere neighborhood Monday afternoon; another state police cruiser was stationed nearby. The small section of the right lane of Western Avenue near the house that was still blocked off eventually was reopened. Cones used for the much larger closure in previous days were stacked and ready to be taken away by the state Department of Transportation.

In a school district news release, the two brothers were described by school Principal Allan Lockwood as “kind, gentle and joyful boys” who walked into school together from the bus and always had smiles on their faces.

“Anthony would look out for his brother and Eddy was quick to tell others, ‘That’s my brother!’ ”

Anthony loved drawing and animals, and cared for the school’s therapy dog, Bailey, the statement read. He was also part of the school’s Garden Club.

Eddy loved stories and was curious, especially when it came to science experiments. He also loved nature and joined his brother this fall in the Garden Club. The district reported the younger brother spent a recent meeting harvesting the seeds from a flower head, carefully and gently planting and watering them.

On the front stoop of their home Monday sat two small pumpkins, child-sized, one slightly bigger than the other.