Police Follow Leads In Rural Couple’s Slaying Associated Press

Police on Friday interviewed friends and neighbors of a couple shot to death in their bed as a daughter slept in the basement of their rural home.

Officials said they had no motive or suspects, but were investigating several undisclosed leads in the deaths late Thursday of Lester L. Lake, 66, and his wife, Velma Jean Lake, 64, in their rural home.

Capt. Mike Humphreys said the Lakes were found by a 16-year-old daughter, who told authorities she was asleep in her basement bedroom and heard gunshots about 10:30 p.m. She went upstairs to the main floor of the ranch-style house, found her parents’ bodies in their bed and called 911 from a neighbor’s house, Humphreys said.

The girl, whose name was being withheld, apparently didn’t hear anyone enter or leave the house.

Robbery or burglary didn’t appear to be motives. “Everything appears to be where it’s supposed to be in the house … money and property and so forth,” Humphreys said.

Both victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

The Lakes moved to the area more than 20 years ago from the Yakima area, longtime friend William P. Moore said..