Man, Woman Burned To Death With Gasoline

"STOCKTON, CA — A woman was beaten and burned to death at her home Sunday afternoon, presumably by her husband who then took his own life by also setting himself on fire, according to police.

"Two days after the 63-year-old woman identified by family members as Norma Moreno obtained a five-year restraining order from a judge, her 46-year-old husband defied it and went to her home in the first block of West Sonora Street just south of downtown Stockton, the couple’s daughter Kathy Ceja, 25, said.

"According to police, the man started attacking his wife, then poured gasoline on her before setting her on fire. Spokesman Officer Joe Silva said Sunday night the investigation was ongoing and he could not say whether the victim was deceased from the beating prior to being burned.

"Silva said the man then poured gasoline on himself and set himself on fire. Both were declared deceased at the scene in what Stockton police are investigating as a murder/suicide."

From recordnet.com...

Bodies Found After House Fire

"CARTERSVILLE, GA — Authorities suspect foul play in a house fire Sunday that left two people dead.

"Bartow County Fire Department Battalion Chief David Levey said crews were called to 45 Westview Drive, Cartersville, at 10:42 a.m. Sunday.

"Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, which involved only about 24 percent of the structure, but the bodies of two males were found inside the home.

"Bartow County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jonathan Rogers said investigators are working with the state fire marshal’s office to determine the cause of the fire, which appears suspicious.

"`It looks like arson was started inside the home,` Rogers said.

"It is possible the blaze began as part of a `homicide-suicide` based on evidence collected, Rogers said.

"Although family has been notified and authorities know two males resided at the house, the names of the deceased are not being released, pending positive identification. A male in his 30s living at the home had a reported history of mental health issues, according to Rogers."

From daily-tribune.com...

Murder Suspect Shoots Himself In SWAT Standoff

"MCFALL, MO — A man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a person whose body was found in a burning home over the weekend apparently killed himself during a standoff with law enforcement officers in northwest Missouri.

"David Call, 50, of Kansas City, died Monday night inside a home near the Gentry County town of McFall, Trenton Police Chief Tommy Wright said. Call was charged earlier Monday with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, second-degree arson and the abandonment of a corpse after firefighters found a body inside a burning home on Sunday in Trenton.

"Call fired upon officers when they arrived to arrest him and then barricaded himself in the house, said Sgt. Jake Angle of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Authorities tracked Call to the home in McCall, a Gentry County town of about 90 residents northwest of Pattonsburg, by following his cell phone pings because he was a person of interest in the Trenton case.

"No one was injured during the standoff.

"Negotiators lost contact with Call just after 8 p.m., Angle said.

"`At that time, a SWAT team entered the residence and found the suspect deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot,` Angle said.

"No other details were released about the Trenton case, including the identification and gender of the victim."

From mysanantonio.com...

Disabled Man Rescued From Blaze Set By Caregiver

"NACOGDOCHES, TX — Investigators with the Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Office, Texas Rangers, and the city fire marshal's office are investigating a blaze at a two-story home in the Carrizo Creek Subdivision that authorities believe is the result of an “attempted murder-suicide crime.”

"Firefighters found the body of a woman with a gunshot wound to her chest in the home, and they managed to rescue her bedridden common-law husband. The man has since been released from the hospital.

“`The sheriff's office is treating this as an open homicide investigation, but we believe that this was an apparent attempted murder/suicide crime,` Nacogdoches County Sheriff Jason Bridges said in a press release. `All evidence and facts that we have gathered at this time are leading us to believe that Goff intentionally set the house on fire before shooting herself in the living room.`

"The fire occurred on FM 1878, near the entrance of Carrizo Creek Estates.

"A neighbor called in the fire after he or she spotted smoke coming from the residence.

"Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Kerry Don Williams pronounced Margi Lynn Goff, 61, dead at the scene. The press release stated that investigators noticed that Goff had what appeared to be a self-inflicted, close-contact wound in her chest with burn marks from the weapon. Williams ordered an autopsy be performed on Goff's body.

"Bridges said firefighters found Goff's body in the living room of the home. A pistol was found near her body, he said.

"Firefighters rescued Hal David Parris, a 65-year-old stroke victim, from a medical bed in one of the home's bedrooms. The press release stated that Parris has been bedridden for several years.

“`The sheriff's office has gained information that Goff had been depressed recently and had mentioned committing suicide to her husband,` the press release stated.

"NCSO investigators at the scene established that there was no evidence of forced entry into the home. The press release also said that authorities believe Goff and Parris were the only ones in the home when the incident occurred.

"Investigators told the East Texas news that Parris is unable to speak. However, they said they are that through yes/no questions, Parris can tell them if his common-law wife was responsible for setting the fire."

From ktre.com...

Murder/Arson Suspect Found Dead In Parked Car

"GREENSBERG, LA — A man, who authorities say was a murder suspect in his wife's death and responsible for arson of their home in Greensburg, was found dead in a rural area of East Feliciana Parish Friday afternoon.

"The Louisiana State Fire Marshall reported that Adren Allen, 48, had been identified as a suspect in the murder of his wife 39-year-old Marsha Allen. Adren Allen had eluded investigators for weeks, the Fire Marshall said.

"When investigators began focusing on Allen, he disappeared from the area.

"Authorities, however, learned more Friday as they received information that Adren Allen was hiding in a camp in a rural area along the Amite River in the Felixville community.

"Adren Allen's body was found in a parked vehicle that was registered to his wife. Investigators believe Allen committed suicide.

"On Oct. 11, investigators considered Adren Allen a suspect in the arson of his home on Hwy 1043 in Greensburg. His wife's body was within the `charred` remains of the home. An autopsy showed that she had died hours before the fire.

"Allen told investigators he left the home to buy livestock feed at a local store just before the fire had started. Investigators, however, were able to place Adren Allen at the home when the fire was in its early stage."

From nola.com...

Woman Tries To Burn Down House After Stabbing Husband

"BREMERTON, WA — A 55-year-old woman is suspected of fatally stabbing her husband and setting their Covina Loop home on fire Sunday morning, the Kitsap Sun reported Monday.

"The woman, who was found inside the home, is being treated for severe burns at Harborview Medical Center.

"The medical examiner’s office said confirmed the victim is 54-year-old Alan J. Carpentier.

"According to police, officers were called to a report of an assault Sunday morning in the 8500 block of Covina Loop NE in East Bremerton. Once on scene, they found a 54-year-old man who had been stabbed and stumbled across the road to ask for help. He was transported to the Harrison Hospital in Silverdale where he later died.

"Officers at the scene spotted smoke coming from a nearby residence. Inside, they found the victim’s wife laying in the home with severe burns and bad smoke inhalation.

"Police said they believe it was the woman who was responsible for stabbing her husband and then attempting to start her home on fire."

From q13fox.com...

Revenge Killing Doesn't Go As Planned

"POTOMAC, MD — Police said a man is believed to have killed his boss' wife and then himself after being accused of a theft in the workplace.

"Montgomery County Police on Wednesday identified the suspect in Tuesday's murder/suicide in Potomac as 42-year-old Andrew Racca of Chevy Chase.

"Racca worked at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Bethesda, where Richard Mattingly was one of his managers.

"Police said Racca was told by management on Monday that an alleged workplace theft he had committed would be reported to authorities.

"Police said Racca didn't come to work on Tuesday and was found dead that afternoon inside a car that crashed into a tree along Piney-Meetinghouse Road. Officers said they also found a gun inside the car.

"The crash site was near Mattingly's home on 12045 Great Elm Drive.

"The burned body of Mattingly's wife, 57-year-old Carolyn Mattingly, was found in the garage of their home following a small fire.

"Authorities said the deaths of both Racca and Carolyn Mattingly remained under investigation under a medical examiner confirms the exact cause and manner of those deaths."

From wjla.com...

Slasher, Victim Found After House Fire

"HARVEY, LA — Jefferson Parish authorities have identified the woman who was found stabbed to death inside a burning Marrero house Monday afternoon, in what they suspect was a murder and attempted suicide. Linda Honeycutt, 50, died of multiple stab wounds, said Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich, the Jefferson coroner.

"She and a man thought to be her boyfriend were found around 1 p.m. inside a house on 1705 Jutland Drive. Both were discovered when authorities searched the home after the fire. Honeycutt's body was toward the rear of the home, said Col. John Fortunato, a Sheriff's Office spokesman. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Authorities found Melvin Brooks Jr., 53, in the hallway, a knife wound to his neck and a knife under his body, Fortunato said. He was in critical condition Monday night at University Hospital.

"Authorities do not know Brooks' address, but investigators have been told that he and Honeycutt were dating."

From nola.com...

Three Dead In "Blood Soaked, Burned Out Home"

"FLUSHING, NY — A financially troubled Queens man butchered his wife and their teen son to death with a knife before setting them on fire and killing himself in a grisly murder/suicide, sources said.

"The gruesome scene was discovered when firefighters arrived to the family’s home at The Blair House on Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing just before 5 a.m. Tuesday and found the three bodies inside the fully engulfed living room of their sixth floor apartment.

"Investigators believe Korea native Joon Lee 50, snapped early Tuesday and repeatedly stabbed his wife and their 16-year-old son before stacking the bodies on top of one another and dousing them in gasoline.

"Lee then set ablaze the corpses of his wife and son before slashing his wrists.

"It took 12 FDNY units and 60 firefighters a little more than 30 minute to get the fire under control, officials said.

"Once extinguished, police entered the house of horrors and began piecing together the puzzle.

“`There are knife wounds, so many we can’t tell how many because of the fire,` a source said.

"Investigators also found a note penned by the dad somewhere in the blood soaked, burned out home that described the family’s money woes and how Joon was struggling to find work. sources said."

Read more at the New York Post...

Woman Found In Burning House Is Suspected Slasher

"BREMERTON, WA — Sheriff's detectives now say they believe a stabbing victim who died Sunday was killed by his wife, who remains in Harborview Medical Center with severe burns from a fire inside the home where she was found.

"The 54-year-old man was found with multiple stab wounds when deputies arrived Sunday morning at 8534 Covina Loop NE in East Bremerton, the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

"His 55-year-old wife is suspected to be responsible for the killing and is being treated for severe burns and smoke inhalation at Harborview, the Sheriff's Office said. She is not in custody at this time.

"Deputies responded to the home after receiving a 911 call from a neighbor, who told dispatchers that the victim had been stabbed and stumbled across the road to his residence for help. The neighbor performed first aid while waiting for medics and law enforcement to arrive.

"Deputies arrived six minutes after the call and found the victim being treated on the front porch of the neighbor’s residence. Medics arrived two minutes later and took the victim to Harrison Hospital in Silverdale in preparation for airlift to Harborview. However, the victim died at the hospital.

"Responding deputies also spotted smoke coming from the residence where the stabbing had taken place. Firefighters extinguished the blaze quickly and found the victim’s wife lying inside the home.

"She was removed and taken to Harrison Hospital, then airlifted to Harborview.

"Detectives obtained a search warrant and entered the home where they found several ignition sites where the fire was started inside the home. Detectives also found what is suspected to be the murder weapon, the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office said.

"Detectives said they are not looking for any additional suspects in connection with the stabbing. The names of the victim and his wife have not been released."

Source: komonews.com...

Missing Dentist, Wife Found Dead After Arson Fire

"SPOKANE VALLEY, WA — The Spokane Valley couple reported missing after their Spokane Valley home was damaged in an arson fire Thursday both died of gunshot wounds to the head.

"The couple was found Friday in their white Kia on Wild Sky Road about 10 miles southeast of Tensed in Benewah County, Idaho, according to Benewah County coroner Ron Hodge. Sandra E. Tiffany, 68, had a single gunshot wound to the back of her head, Hodge said. John R. Tiffany, 76, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the front of his head.

"John Tiffany was a dentist in downtown Spokane for many years. Spokane Valley Fire Department investigators believe John Tiffany may have set the blaze in his home on Bettman Road. He was captured on surveillance video buying cans of gas at a gas station only hours before the fire. Several gas cans were found inside the home.

"The couple could not be located immediately after the fire and their son reported them missing, launching the search that found them at a private family cemetery in Idaho."

From the Spokesman-Review...

SWAT Standoff Ends When Cops Find Bodies

"HIALEAH, FL — A man who barricaded himself inside a Hialeah home Sunday night killed his girlfriend and then killed himself, police and family members of the victim told [reporters].

"Hialeah police spokesman Carl Zogby said Julian Ovalle, 40, killed his girlfriend, Rossana Sabater, 31, and then took his own life during a domestic dispute at a home on 660 East 63rd Street.

"The SWAT team was called to the home about 8 p.m. Sunday and a standoff ensued, lasting about three hours. Eventually, police entered the home and found the bodies.

"Police did not release any details of the murder/suicide, but Sebastian Acosta, who claimed to be Sabater's uncle, said Ovalle stabbed his niece and then slit his own throat.

"Acosta said the couple has two children together, ages 7 and 4, and Sabater has a 15-year-old daughter from a previous relationship. Acosta said Ovalle kicked the children out of the house earlier in the day.

"Police said there was evidence that a fire had been started during the incident, and neighbors reported seeing smoke coming from the home.

"The bodies were removed from the home Monday afternoon."

From local10.com...

Bodies Found In Burning Home

"ELLETTSVILLE, IN — A mother and son found inside a burning Ellettsville home Thursday died of gunshot wounds, the Monroe County Coroner's office announced Friday.

"Crews responded to the home on 7324 North Red Hill Road at 8:40 a.m., officials with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said.

"Monroe County Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Brad Swain told [reporters] that investigators recovered a gun within close proximity of the two bodies. He says neighbors reported the woman who lived in the home had made comments about harming her son and herself.

"The victims were identified as 15-year-old Parker Gilliland-Wampler and 46-year-old Carla Gilliland.

"Monroe County Coroner Nicole Meyer said Parker and Gilliland both died of a single gunshot wound. Parker's death was ruled a homicide. Meyer said Gilliland's gunshot wound appeared to be self-inflicted.

"The coroner's office said there were no other suspects in the case."

From theindychannel.com...

Family Of Four Found Dead In Home

"TURLOCK, CA — Police in Central California said on Friday they found a family of four dead inside a home in what appeared to be a murder/suicide.

"Officers made the discovery at the home in Turlock around 10 p.m. Thursday after a family member called to report that the four had not been seen or heard from, Turlock police said.

"The victims are a 78-year-old man, his 69-year-old wife, and their two adult sons, aged 39 and 42, Turlock police spokeswoman Mayra Lewis said. Their names were not immediately released.

"The bodies were found in various places in the house, and Lewis said Turlock fire officials were investigating several parts of the home burned in what appeared to be attempted arson.

"Lewis said a preliminary investigation has determined the four died in a murder/suicide, although it was not immediately clear how they died. She said the four had been dead at least 24 hours before the time they were found.

"Officials working in the home Friday wore gas masks because of an initial report of a gas smell in the home, but Lewis said that may have been decomposition. Lewis said this isolated incident posed no danger to the community."

Source: Miami Herald...

Chef Confesses After Botched Self-Immolation

"VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — Erin Hunt was supposed to open a new restaurant last week: Off the Hook in Chesapeake. He already had begun working with the staff.

"But a week and a half ago, Hunt died in a way that shocked family and friends who knew him as a mild-mannered chef and devoted father of three. Police said he assaulted a woman he knew on a Sunday evening at a home in the Courthouse Estates neighborhood, then set himself on fire in the backyard. He was 38.

"`It paints a different picture than what he was,` said Jennifer Carpinelli, owner of Off the Hook. `He was really big into dog rescues. He had a blind dog. He took that dog because no one would take it.... He was easy to get along with, understanding and helpful.`

"He was also an extremely talented chef, she said.

"Police on Friday released further details about the attack. In an email, Detective Justin Cole said Hunt and the woman were living together and had agreed he would move out of the house that day. He hadn't removed his belongings by the time she got home, and she asked why he had not left.

"That's when he hit her several times in the head with a dumbbell, Cole said. She ran outside screaming, and neighbors called 911. Meanwhile, Cole said in the email, Hunt came outside, then went back in the house alone. Shortly after, he was seen engulfed in flames in the backyard, a gas can nearby.

"Neighbors put out the flames with a garden hose, and Hunt told them and police he had intended to kill the woman and himself, Cole said. He was taken to a hospital and died a few days later."

Read more at PilotOnline.com...

Man Shoots Family, Burns Rented Mansion With Fireworks

"TAMPA, FL — A business executive, his wife and two teenage children found dead in a suspected murder/suicide had all been shot with the father's gun before the million-dollar Florida mansion they were renting burned down, it was revealed today.

"Autopsies were still being completed to determine exactly how the victims died.

"Authorities recovered a gun at the home registered to 51-year-old Darrin Campbell and he was caught on a store camera buying an `exceedingly large amount` of fireworks days before the suspected arson fire, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Col. Donna Lusczynski said.

"The firecrackers reportedly surrounded the bodies and apparently started the fire that engulfed the two-story, five bedroom home the family was leasing from tennis pro James Blake.

"Mr Campbell was found dead in the burnt out $1.5 million home alongside his wife, Kimberly.

"His two teenage children, Colin, 19, and Megan, 16, were found in their respective bedrooms—with police saying two of the victims had suffered `upper body trauma.`

"A surveillance video was released late Thursday showing Darrin Campbell dressed in a dark-grey T-shirt and shorts placing stacks of fireworks into a shopping cart at Phantom Fireworks.

"The nine-minute silent clip depicts the married father of two emptying his full cart at the cash register.

"At one point, Campbell is seen ducking back into an aisle to pick up more pyrotechnics before handing the cashier $650 in cash for his purchase.

"Store clerk Michael Muti who handled the transaction Sunday recalled Campbell as being `normal and chatty.`

"`He said he was shopping early for fireworks for the Fourth of July,` Muti said."

Read more at the Daily Mail...

Firemen Suspect Bomb At Scene Of Murder/Suicide

"LAKE CHARLES, LA — The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating what appears to be a murder/suicide at a home on Dolphin Drive in south Lake Charles.

"Sheriff Tony Mancuso said at this time, the suspect has been transported to the hospital in grave condition but does still have a pulse. The victim's body was found inside the home.

"Mancuso said while containing the house fire, officials may have seen what looked like an explosive device. Fire crews are working on putting out hotspots from a distance until the Louisiana State Police bomb squad arrives and gives the okay.

"Mancuso said it is too early to say how the victim died, but early witness accounts indicate the suspect shot himself in his front yard after the victim died.

"The identities of the victim and suspect have not yet been released pending notification of kin."

From kplctv.com...

Bodies Found In Burned Out House

"MUSE, OK — The LeFlore County Sheriff's Office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation have been investigating the death of three people from a house fire outside of Whitesboro on March 3.

"Officials say the bodies of three people were found dead and have been identified as Edith Custard, 57, Lawrence Schlienz, 80, Jacob Custard, 30. The deaths and fire are being ruled as a double homicide and suicide, confirmed by Sheriff Rob Seale with Leflore County.

"Based on found evidence at the scene and subsequent interviews, investigators have concluded that Jacob Custard had murdered his parents, then set fire to the residence and shot himself inside the house, Seale said.

"Custard has a history of mental health issues and was no longer going to counseling or taking any medication for his problems, according to Seale.

"The Oklahoma State Fire Marshal was unable to determine a cause or origin of the fire due to the complete destruction of the house."

From 4029tv.com...

Authorities Can't Explain Triple Murder/Suicide

"OAK LAWN, IL — Matthew Meier was celebrating his 5th birthday by spending the night with his grandparents John and Janice Conta in Oak Lawn. What happened next authorities can't explain.

"Sometime overnight, Matthew's uncle John Conta Jr. shot all three dead. He also poured gasoline in the basement and lit it, according to police and fire officials.

"Autopsies conducted today determined that all of the people died from shotgun wounds. After shooting his family members, Conta Jr. committed suicide by shooting himself in the face, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

"One of the first firefighters on the scene Wednesday morning entered the garage of the home on 9809 South 51st Avenue as Conta Jr. pulled the trigger of a shotgun and killed himself too, police said.

"`What made him go into this rampage, I don’t know if we’ll ever know that,` said Oak Lawn Police Division Chief Michael Kaufmann.

"Conta Jr. had spent about a year working as a potato farmer in Russia before moving back with his parents a few months, police said.

"`When he came back, he seemed a little different,` Kaufmann said. `His mental state may have changed.`

"He said Oak Lawn police had no prior contact with Conta Jr. or the family. John and Janice Conta were both in their 60s.

"Autopsies were scheduled today."

Read more at the Chicago Tribune...

Bodies Found In Burning Mobile Home

"WILLOW SPRINGS, MO — A husband and wife are dead in an apparent murder/suicide, according to the Howell County Sheriff's Department.

"Firefighters called to scene to battle multiple structure and vehicle fires told Howell County deputies they had located two bodies in a mobile home at the scene, 75 County Road 1130 in Willow Springs.

"Star Arnett was found dead on the floor in the mobile home with blunt force trauma to the head, according to a report from the Sheriff's Department.

"Her husband, Dwayne Arnett was found in the residence with a fatal gunshot wound.

"The fire chief of Willow Springs Fire Department said that several outbuildings had been set on fire, along with two vehicles. It also appeared someone had tried to torch the mobile home, he said.

"The Howell Co. Sheriff's Dept. is not releasing any more information at this time."

From ozarksfirst.com...