Officials say man and woman found dead in Madera County home victims of homicide

MADERA COUNTY (KFSN) -- Firefighters were called to the home on Robertson Boulevard after midnight but after they put out two small fires inside the house- they found the bodies of a man and woman in their 60's or 70's.

The couple had lived here for several years. Neighbors say they rented out the home that was adjoined to them. Detectives say no one was there, all they found was a decent size meth lab.

For more than 15 hours deputies picked through two homes. Collecting evidence and searching for anything the suspects may have left behind, including any fingerprints. When firefighters showed up the only people around were

dead.

Commander Bill Ward of the Madera County Sheriff's Office said, "We're looking at all the different angles and all the different possibilities right now."

The focus of much of the investigation Tuesday was next door to the victim's home where a large amount of flammable acetone was found and liquid meth that was in the process of being turned into crystal form.

Brent Wood of the Department of Justice said, "The methamphetamine is made, it's in liquid form. What they are doing is converting it right now, so it's obvious from what we've seen that they've left in a hurry."

Members of the meth task force spent much of the day analyzing the solutions being used in the drug producing operation. Based on what was found the current batch in production could make anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds of meth. Detectives say there is also evidence this was not the first time they have converted the drug here.

Homicide detectives want to know if the victims had any problems with the renters lately. They are also working to backtrack the couple's last 24 hours.

"We will have investigators interviewing possible witnesses, doing records checks and trying to find out as much as we can about the victims."

The crime scene spanned two homes and clues were even collected in the front yard.

Investigators are also talking to neighbors to see if anyone noticed or heard anything unusual last night.