Murder Suspect Allegedly Admits to Burning Family of 4 After Police Say His Friend Saw Bodies on FaceTime Call

• Rain Mancini, Phillip Zilliot II, Karma Zilliot and Phillip Zilliot III were last seen on June 12
• Rory Atwood allegedly admitted to fatally shooting Zilliot II and Mancini, per police
• Atwood's friend noticed bodies and blood during a FaceTime call with the suspect shortly after the killings, authorities allege

A Florida man arrested after charred remains were found on his property has allegedly admitted to burning a family of four who went missing earlier this month. 

Rain Mancini, Phillip Zilliot II and their two children disappeared from Hudson, Fla., where they were last seen on Wednesday, June 12, the Pasco Sheriff's Office said in a statement last week. 

Police identified the missing family members as Mancini, 26, Zilliot II, 25, and their children Karma Zilliot, 6, and Phillip Zilliot III, 5. 

Rory Atwood, a friend of the couple's, was arrested on June 14 on suspicion of multiple homicides after police found human remains on his property, authorities said. He has been charged with one count of murder and has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Atwood, 25, had reportedly been renting his place to the family, who were known to be transient, ABC Action News previously reported, citing authorities. But he allegedly evicted the family on June 1 because they didn't pay rent, per court documents.

On Thursday, June 14, Pasco County authorities responded to a welfare check on the family after a woman told them her brother had seen bodies during a FaceTime call with Atwood, WFLA, ABC Action News and Tampa Bay 10 reported, citing a criminal complaint affidavit. 

Atwood allegedly called the woman’s brother, asking him for help to burn what he claimed was garbage, the affidavit states. 

The brother allegedly noticed a puddle of blood and “adult and child bodies” during the call, authorities say in the affidavit, per Tampa Bay 10. 

While interviewing Atwood at his residence, police found a "smoldering and smoking” fire pit, per the affidavit, Tampa Bay 10 reported.

Atwood allegedly told investigators that he had a fight with the couple and during the struggle, he claimed he shot them in self-defense, per the affidavit, FOX 13 Tampa Bay reported.

Investigators say they recovered "small skeletal remains," "human long bone fragments" and "apparent human vertebrae" from the fire pit, per Tampa Bay 10.

It's not clear if Atwood admitted to killing the children but he allegedly admitted to burning their bodies alongside their parents,' per the affidavit, cited by FOX 13 Tampa Bay.

Atwood was charged with first-degree murder of a "John Doe" in connection with the remains found on his property, WFLA, ABC Action News and the Tampa Bay Times previously reported, citing Pasco County authorities. He has pleaded not guilty to that charge and has been assigned a public defender, online court records show.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the remains had not been positively identified, but authorities suspect they belong to the family members.

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A GoFundMe has been set up by extended family members of the deceased who are mourning their loss.