Gang members blamed in deadly Porterville fire

PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KFSN) -- Investigators now say gang members trying to kill a recent gang dropout are to blame for a house fire that ultimately killed an innocent woman.

A new house now stands where a Porterville woman was set on fire and shot at back in February. She recently passed away and now investigators are searching for her killers.

Family members constructed a homemade cross on the property where 41-year-old Tanya Huff was attacked. Investigators say Huff was asleep in her bed just after 10pm back on February 23rd, when two people fired a gun into the house, and then tossed gasoline and a flame in her room. Her husband was in another room and ran to rescue her.

Lt. Mark Gist with the Tulare County Sheriff's Office said, "He risked his own life as well, got her out of the house and got the fire put out on her and got her wheeled out to a safer area."

Huff wasn't hit with gunfire, but the fire burned 75-percent of her body. She spent the last five months getting intensive treatment at Community Regional Medical Center and was even recently featured in the hospitals newsletter while she met with a chaplain.

Tulare County Fire Captain Kevin Riggi investigated the fire and says it was clear that it was intentionally set.

Riggi said, "The area of origin of the fire was located in the bedroom where the victim was lying."

Sheriff's investigators say Tanya was an innocent victim in a violent attack by gang members.

Lt. Mark Gist said, "We know that it's going to be northern gang members that were acting on this, that were part of this with the notion that they thought a northern drop out was at that residence, which was not the case. This is just a very sad tragic event that occurred."

As Tanya Huff's family works on making funeral arrangements, deputies are working fast to try and catch the suspects.

Lt. Mark Gist added, "We were able to determine through an ongoing investigation that at least two suspects approached the house on foot."

Investigators say Tanya was making great strides during her treatment and only recently took a turn for the worse. They're still look for leads so if you have any information you're asked to call the Tulare County Sheriff's Office.