Joseph Deponceau, an 80-year-old White man, was found deceased in his Irondequoit, New York, home on June 27, 2024. A retired teacher from the Rochester City School District, he was discovered by police just inside his front door with a gunshot wound to his upper torso. Officers had responded to the residence after a 911 call reported 'blood everywhere'.
Deponceau's girlfriend, who was present at the home and was not harmed, identified the shooter as his 24-year-old grandson, Andrew
Vahey. Her account of the events was corroborated by surveillance footage from the house. Investigations revealed that in the weeks leading up to the fatal shooting, Deponceau and Vahey had been involved in disputes over property, including arguments about parking on the grass. Despite these disagreements, there had been no prior indications that the conflict would escalate to violence.
After the shooting, law enforcement initiated a search for Vahey and located his vehicle in Letchworth State Park. The park was evacuated as a coordinated manhunt began. Around 12:30 p.m. on the same day, officers spotted Vahey on a hiking trail within the park, armed with a long gun. As police approached him, Vahey fatally shot himself. Due to the suspect's death, there were no arrests made in connection with Joseph Deponceau's death.
