The Region - News from Aug. 27, 1985
Three adults and two children were found dead after their house in Taft was destroyed by a pre-dawn fire, Kern County firefighters reported. Investigators believe that a smoldering cigarette in a living room sofa ignited the fire. Three-quarters of the house was in flames when firefighters arrived. Crews took 35 minutes to control the blaze, and a search of the house revealed the five burned bodies. The coroner’s office identified the victims as Bill Mitchell, 33; his wife, Kathi, 27; their children, Jennifer, 4, and Joshua, 1; and a cousin, Denise Easley, 20.
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