New York, Jan 24 (IANS) An Indian American couple in the US was found dead by their children when they returned home from school Tuesday.

Jaspal Singh, 46, and Geeta Singh, 55, were likely to have died of gunshot wounds at their Doone Drive home in Long Island, police said.

When the boys, aged 12 and 13, arrived home, they found the door locked. As their mother didn't answer the door as usual, the boys used a spare key to get into the house, according to News Day newspaper.

"It does not appear to be a murder-suicide. We have two homicides," said Kevin Smith, a police spokesman.

Police detectives are searching for a motive behind the deaths. They said they have found few clues as to who killed the couple and why.

Jaspal Singh ran a business in Manhattan and also owned a service station in Long Island. The family had moved into the house less than a year ago, said a close family member.

"I have no idea why someone would hurt the couple, who migrated from India nearly two decades ago. They've been here 18 years and never had a problem, so why now?" asked a shocked family friend, Raj Maini.

Neighbors described the Singhs as "a loving, nice and close-knit family".

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