Three bodies recovered in Stanbary’s house

WASHOUGAL, Wash. (AP) — Authorities said Monday that they have recovered the remains of three people from the debris of a southwestern Washington house fire that crews were unable to battle because of gunfire coming from the home. The Washougal police department said in a statement that the bodies of Steven D. Stanbary, his wife, Leona Bolton-Stanbary, and her sister Mona Daugherty were recovered. Last week, investigators said they had found at least two bodies after the Dec. 5 blaze. Washougal police Capt. Ron Mitchell said the probe by local and federal investigators found that Bolton-Stanbary and Daugherty likely died of gunshot wounds prior to the house fire. Stanbary’s cause of death has yet to be determined. Stanbary, the home’s owner, was under investigation for sex crimes and was due to turn himself into Washougal detectives Dec. 6. During the fire, authorities say a man inside fired shots, preventing neighbors, firefighters and police from helping. Sheriff’s Sgt. Kevin Allais declined to provide details about the sex crimes investigation, except to tell The Columbian that it involved allegations of repeated incidents of abuse. Allais declined to say whether it involved more than one alleged victim or what the connection was to Stanbary. Stanbary had a history of espousing white supremacist views, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups. He was arrested and served 90 days in jail following a standoff with sheriff’s deputies in Bonner County, Idaho, in 1994. Authorities seized a weapons cache at his home, including a grenade launcher, a sawed-off shotgun and six AK-47 assault rifles.