Five bodies found in burned home near Hubbard
The remains of two adults and three children were found in the burned rubble of a house fire that investigators said Thursday was intentionally set near Hubbard.
KGW reported that Marion County Sheriff’s Office detectives confirmed Thursday the bodies of a man, woman and three children were found, but said they planned to wait for a medical examiner to confirm their identities.
Investigators are trying to determine what took place in the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, when firefighters found a home, a shop and detached garage ablaze.
The property is located amid hop farms in the Willamette Valley off Interstate 5, between Portland and Salem.
The sheriff’s office had said Tuesday afternoon that the home belonged to 42-year-old Keith Kroeker and 39-year-old Erin Kroeker, who lived there with their 10-year-old twin boys and a 7-year-old daughter.
Detectives acknowledged that the bodies appeared to be the five family members.
Crews were dispatched at 3 a.m. Tuesday to the 18000 block of Fobert Road NE and found three structures on fire, a hot power line and lack of onsite water.
Thirty minutes after arriving, firefighters found a person dead in the home and notified police. The other four bodies were found over the next two days.
Deputies said they believe all three fires were intentionally set, but they were not looking for any suspects.
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Thursday afternoon news release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office
Over the past two days, Investigators have recovered the remains of 5 individuals inside of the Kroeker residence. Detectives can confirm that the remains found are of an adult male, one adult female and three children. Although the remains appear consistent with that of the Kroeker family, confirmation of identity is made through the medical examiner.
Investigators are still combing through the piles of debris in an attempt to determine exactly what took place Tuesday morning. The Sheriff’s Office investigation is progressing but is continually slowed by the size of the scene, weather, and amount of destruction, which needs to be secured for the safety of investigators. The Sheriff’s Office is not prepared to comment on any details of the investigation, but we do not believe there is any immediate danger to the public.
Sheriff Jason Myers was quoted as saying, “First and foremost, I extend my condolences to the Kroeker family. While this investigation is not yet complete, I would like to thank and recognize the 100-plus first responders, investigators and support personnel from various local, state and federal agencies who continue to work tirelessly during this difficult and complex investigation.”
The Sheriff’s Office believes it will be on scene at the Kroeker residence for the remainder of today and into tomorrow. The Sheriff’s Office does not anticipate any further releases today regarding the investigation.
