A 55-year-old rural Saunders County man and his 18-year-old son have died and early reports are that it may be a case of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The bodies of Ron Larsen and his son Timothy were discovered in their home at 1725 County Road 16, Wahoo, when a brother-in-law and a friend stopped by to pick up the Larsens for a trip to Council Bluffs.

When they entered the home, Timothy Larsen was found unresponsive on the floor in a hallway. His father was found in an upstairs bedroom.

Investigators believe a faulty furnace may be to blame for the deaths.

When the Larsens awoke Thursday morning, the house was cold and it was apparent the furnace wasn't working. Before Mary Larsen left for work around 5 a.m., her husband Ron adjusted the thermostat and the furnace turned on.

Investigators say the Larsens had been concerned about their furnace and had recently had it worked on.

The investigation into the deaths continues but foul play is not suspected.

The girls high school basketball game scheduled Thursday between Wahoo and Raymond Central was postponed as a result of the incident.

Timothy Larsen was a back-up nose tackle for the Nebraska Wesleyan football team. He played in all 10 games this past fall.

Timothy was home on holiday break. Nebraska Wesleyan resumes classes Monday.

Timothy was on an academic scholarship.

"You could call him and he'd be hanging out, you know, and just drive around town," said Nick Milliken, Tim's friend. "If you ever needed someone to talk to, he'd be there for you. As a teammate, he was always sticking up for you."

"He's a good kid," said Hunter Richmond," another friend of Tim's. "A good person to have around."

Family and close friends gathered at the Larsen home -- coming together for strength Thursday.

The loss was felt all across Wahoo. Ron was elected to the NRD board and the Larsen children married and settled down in the community.

Scott Tingelhoff is both the county attorney and one of the Larsen's in-laws.

"It's rough and I know the rest of the family is having a hard time understanding and dealing with it," said Tingelhoff. "This type of thing isn't supposed to happen to good people like this."