Two Peabody Men Dead in Double Murder

Police are investigating a double murder at 8 Aborn St. where two Peabody men were shot sometime early Sunday morning.

Authorities say one man, Jonathan Ramos, 23, was taken to Salem Hospital, while the other, Richard Duran, 24, was found dead at the scene. Both men knew each other, according to police, and were well known to the .

"Both men were at a gathering at the residence that evening and in the early morning hours," said District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett during a brief press conference Sunday afternoon outside the police station. Blodgett said there were many people at the gathering.

Peabody police were alerted to the shooting by Salem police at 3:14 a.m., said Blodgett. The Salem department relayed a report from the hospital that a patient (Ramos) being treated there was the victim of a shooting at a Peabody residence.

Ramos' last known address was 47 Washington St. in Peabody, but officers and state police went to 8 Aborn St. at approximately 7:10 a.m. after questioning the people who brought Ramos to the hospital. Duran's body was found inside the residence, which is where he lived.

A number of police units secured the area, which was still closed to car and foot traffic Sunday afternoon and crime scene tape was blocking the entrance to the home.

"The facts and circumstances of this double homicide remain under investigation at this time. Based on witness interviews, we believe that all parties involved were known to each other," said Blodgett. "This was not a random shooting, and the citizens of Peabody are not in any danger."

"Both shooting victims were well known to Peabody police," Blodgett said, adding they did also have prior criminal histories.

He said autopsies would be conducted Monday at the office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Boston.

Blodgett said multiple weapons were found inside the Aborn Street home, but would not comment further until ballistics are complete.

He said no determination has been made yet on whether the two men shot each other or were killed by someone else. There are no suspects at this time; police are continuing their investigation and questioning various individuals. Blodgett said police are obtaining search warrants.

Police Chief Robert Champagne said his department was familiar with that Aborn Street residence, having responded there numerous times, although none the night before the shooting.

The case remains under investigation by Peabody police and state police detectives assigned to Blodgett's office.

Steve O'Connell, a spokesman for Blodgett's office, said the case is "very fluid" at this time, but doesn't expect to have any further information available until after the autopsies are performed.

Stay with Peabody Patch as further updates are available on this story.