New clues in murder of mother and daughter

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno County Sheriff's deputies are narrowing down a time frame and a suspect in the murder of a mother and daughter last December.

Jennifer DuPras and her 88-year-old mother, Cynthia Houk were found shot to death in Houk's northwest Fresno home. They were dead for two days before their bodies were discovered.

On Tuesday, detectives said have now identified a truck the suspect was driving around the time of the murders.

Surveillance video of the path taken by a killer shows the suspect driving a white Chevy Colorado with alloy rims, a toolbox, and trailer hitch on Shaw near Blackstone.

The time stamp on the video, along with autopsy information, is giving detectives the important details they need to piece together the crime.

"It tells us that December 9th, around 3:45 in the afternoon. Well that lines up with the findings we've got from our coroner's office that that's probably the time of death for both women in our case," said Tony Botti of the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies have snippets of video from the time the gunman left the house on Colonial, to his path down Bullard and Maroa, and then Blackstone.

Investigators also have other evidence that is still undergoing forensic testing.

Botti said, "It's a matter of going through it, processing it all. Our labs have been an integral part in all this. Because we have served some search warrants at some locations that we believe may have evidence all tied to this."

Jennifer DuPras had retired from a job as school principal at Washington Elementary in Kingsburg last year. She was going through a contentious divorce when she was murdered, along with her mother. DuPras's daughter says her life has been turned upside down, because of the difficult circumstances and her dad's behavior.

Alison DuPras said, "He didn't arrive at the scene of the crime, never called me, never said hey, how are you doing. That's my father, and I no longer have a mother, so it was devastating."

Deputies have not named a suspect, but they believe someone who personally knew the victims took their lives.