A Washington state man is in police custody on four counts of murder and one count of arson after “four sets of remains, which appear to be a mother and her three small children” were found in a burned-out trailer, Port Angeles police said in a Facebook post.
Matthew Wetherington of Port Angeles was arrested after he was seen running from the scene of the deadly blaze around 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning, police said.
The 34-year old was found camping in the woods of Lincoln Park in Port Angeles, about 85 miles northwest of Seattle, hours later, police said.
A woman, also 34, and three children ages 5 to 9 were initially unaccounted for after a fire engulfed their home at the Welcome Inn Trailer Park, a Facebook post from police said.
The bodies were eventually removed from the trailer but have not yet been formally identified by the coroner.
CNN affiliate KIRO 7 identified the woman as Valerie Kambeitz. Wetherington was the woman’s husband, “who lived with the family,” police said, according to KIRO.
Wetherington is scheduled to appear in Clallam County Superior Court at 1 p.m. Monday.
Port Angeles detectives, the Clallam County prosecutor and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives are investigating the deadly fire.
CNN was not immediately able to determine whether Wetherington has legal representation in this case.
