Firefighters Find Family Shot To Death Victims Died Of Gun Wounds To Their Heads; Fire Possibly Meant To Cover Up Murders

A 10-year-old boy and his parents were shot to death early Tuesday before fire burned through their three-story duplex and maze of stacked books and belongings, the medical examiner’s office said.

Firefighters discovered the charred remains of a 50-year-old woman and boy lying across a bed in an upstairs bedroom, and a 53-year-old man at the foot of the bed.

The victims died from shotgun wounds to their heads, said Multnomah County deputy medical examiner Paul Horan.

Their names were withheld pending notification of relatives.

“Right now we’re investigating it as a triple homicide,” said Portland Police Bureau Lt. Cliff Madison.

Police had no suspects, and did not know how the fire started inside the duplex unit. But the fire may have been set to cover up the slayings, he said.

The other unit in the duplex was not damaged, Madison said.

The smoke awoke Joseph Roundtree, who lives in the basement of an adjacent duplex and he called 911 about 5 a.m.

“I’m just in total shock,” he said. “They were really nice people.”

Firefighters had the fire under control within 30 minutes.

Two cats were found dead, but firefighters rescued a third cat that was injured.

When they arrived, flames were shooting out the windows on the south side of the house. Judging from the heavy black soot on the panes, the fire must have smoldered for some time, said fire department spokesman Neil Heesacker.

Neighbors described the family as kind and somewhat reclusive.

The family filled their home with books and until recently, kept no chairs in the house, family friend Norma Garven said. Also until recently, the parents had home schooled the boy.

The condition of the house complicated investigators’ efforts, said Duane Bigoni, Multnomah County Medical Examiner.

“The house was a rat’s nest,” he said. “Personal belongings stacked everywhere with pathways through the rooms.”