Family and friends are reacting to the murders of six family members in their Leola, Pa., home.

John Adams is a neighbor and relative of the Wise family. He went next door Wednesday afternoon to check on the family after he and the owner of the home became suspicious about the welfare of the family. Adams said he arrived to find the suspect, 21-year-old Jesse Dee Wise, also known as "Jay," in the home, along with the victims in the basement.

"I turned on a light and started walking down the stairs, and the first thing I saw was Arlene. I bent down just a little and then I saw the baby down there lying on its face. I ran out, and I told the police that they were all down there dead," said Adams.

The owner of the home and the suspect's grandfather, Jesse Wise, 60, said he became suspicious after his grandson gave him and Adams conflicting stories about the whereabouts of the Wise family.

Police listed the victims as:

Emily Wise, 64, suspect's grandmother
Wanda Wise, 45, suspect's aunt
Arlene Wise, 30, suspect's aunt
Skylar Wise, 19, suspect's cousin
Chance Wise, 5, suspect's cousin
Jesse James Wise, 17, suspect's cousin

Emily Wise, Chance Wise, and Jesse James Wise were strangled. The other victims were bludgeoned to death with some sort of handmade club, according to WGAL-TV.

Kerry Vaden, cousin to the suspect, said the family is doing its best to deal with the tragedy.

"It just fell out of the sky on top of us," said Vaden. "Now we got this to deal with. Plus, we got to deal with Jay. You know what I mean, six at one time plus Jay, too. It's hard... it's hard."

"He never had an argument with me, never had anything with me or his grandma. I don't know what happened. I would love to know what happened," said grandfather Jesse Wise.

According to court documents, the man charged in the killings has confessed to the slayings.

The documents indicate that Jesse Dee Wise admitted strangling three of the victims, and bludgeoning the others in the head with a metal object.

Wise was shackled around his wrists and ankles as he appeared Thursday before a judge, who ordered him held without bail.

"I was very upset, very hurt," said friend Donna Decker. "You know, for the whole family, plus the 5-year-old, it's very sad."

About 100 friends of the family showed up at a candlelight vigil on Thursday to place flowers and candles in front the home's fence.

"They were nice people," Decker said. "It's what made me so close with them. You don't find too many kids out here like that today."

Tim Gonzales also remembered the family, especially Jesse James, who used to play pickup games in the park.

"He's a little guy, very athletic," Gonzales said. "(He was) tough on the biggest people. He is like one of the strongest little men I know."

People who attended the vigil had nothing negative to say about the Wise family.

District Attorney Don Totaro declined to comment about a possible motive for the slayings.

Jesse Dee Wise

WGAL-TV in Lancaster, Pa., has learned more about Jesse Wise.

Police said both of his parents are dead. He had been living with his grandparents at the home where the killings happened, according to police.

Wise has a criminal record in Lancaster County. In the summer of 2004, he was charged with eight crimes. They ranged from reckless driving to a felony count of conspiracy to commit burglary. He's also accused of breaking into the First Baptist Church of Pequea in Salisbury Township, Pa.