MOULTRIE, Ga. — Five young adults whose bodies were found in a fire-gutted house on Sunday did not die by smoke inhalation or from flames — they were shot.

That is the conclusion reached after a five-day investigation into the deaths of the four men and one woman, all in their 20s, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The GBI headed up the investigation at the 505 Rossman Dairy Road residence which included multiple other agencies.

On Thursday the GBI arrested 24-year-old Norman Park man Jeffrey Alan Peacock in connection with the slayings. Peacock, of 300 Lazy Bear Road, is charged with five counts of felony murder and one count of arson.

The GBI did not give a motive for the shootings.

“The victims were shot inside of their residence by Peacock, who set fire to the house in an attempt to conceal the crimes,” the agency said in a Thursday afternoon news release.

Killed were Jonathan Garrett Edwards, Ramsey Jones Pidcock and Aaron Reid Williams, all 21; 20-year old Alicia Brooke Norman; and Jordan Shane Croft, 22.

Investigators learned almost immediately that they were dealing with a multiple homicide, based on forensic autopsies of the bodies.

“The bodies were transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Macon for an autopsy examination,” the agency said. “The initial autopsy findings indicated that all five victims suffered from gunshot wounds.

“During the course of the investigation, Peacock was identified as a suspect.”

The news release did not indicate how Peacock became a suspect, but added that the probe is continuing. Family members were apprised of the agencies’ findings before he news media were given the details.

The GBI was assisted by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, agents from three neighboring regional offices, and fire departments from Bay, Funston, Moultrie and Northside.

Peacock was one of three people to call in a report of the fire, about a minute after an unknown caller notified Colquitt County E-911 Center of the blaze.

According to Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office reports, Peacock told the first sheriff’s deputy to arrive at the scene that he had been at the house with his friends and left to get breakfast for everyone. At the time, he said that he was gone about an hour and when he returned the house was burning.

He was not taken into custody at that time, the reports said.

The agencies will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. today at the Colquitt County Courthouse Annex.

Friends of the victims are holding a candlelight vigil at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Magnolia Sports Complex on Magnolia Lane behind the Wal-Mart shopping center.

As the GBI continues its investigation, it asks that anyone with information to call its Thomasville office at (229) 225-4090, or the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office at (229) 616-7460.