Suspects sought in deadly Sutter house fire

A Sutter couple found dead early Friday in their burned-out home were victims of foul play, a Sutter County Sheriff's Department official said.

An accident or murder-suicide have been ruled out in the deaths of Jack and Susan Martin. All indications are that someone killed the Martins and set fire to their home, said Capt. Lewis McElfresh.

"We have persons of interest and are following leads," McElfresh said. "It's a dynamic, fluid situation."

Robbery or burglary apparently were not motives. Anger or jealousy may have been factors, he said.

McElfresh declined to say how the Martins were killed. Autopsies were being performed Friday evening, he said.

Although the Martins had still not been positively identified, the victims could not have been anyone else, he said.

Susan Martin's body was found on the floor of the garage, which had the worst fire damage. Her husband's body was found nearby on a floor in the house, McElfresh said.

State Department of Justice investigators were at the scene.

The fire at 2255 Mulberry St. initially was reported as shots fired and glass breaking, although the sound of breaking glass may have been mistaken for shots, said Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Brenda Baker.

Jack Martin was a hunter and kept ammunition in the garage that may have exploded in the fire, said his stepfather, Norman Sanders of Sutter.

Firefighters arrived four minutes after a 911 call at 12:43 a.m. and found the garage engulfed in flames that were spreading to the rest of the house. The bodies were found after the fire was extinguished.

Detectives entered the home about 11:30 a.m. after obtaining a search warrant.

Martin was a building contractor. His wife had just graduated from pharmacy school, said Sanders.

"I don't think he's ever had an enemy," Sanders said about Martin, who became his stepson at age 7. Martin grew up on the family farm near Grimes in Colusa County and moved to Sutter after graduating from Pierce High School in Arbuckle, he said.

"He was a big part of me," said Sanders, who was being comforted by other family members as they arrived one by one at the scene.

Sanders said he and his son would help each other on their home-building projects. A neighbor, Gloria Heinz, said Martin built his own house and others in the neighborhood.

Heinz said she was awakened about 12:30 a.m. by fireworks-like noises and called 911. When she saw the flames, she figured the Martins were either not home or out fighting the fire.

The Martins had two daughters, one a college student in Colorado and the other a Chico resident.

The Martins attended Calvary Christian Center in Yuba City. Susan Martin was the daughter of the church's founder, Marvin Long.

A neighbor, Kevin Lees, said Jack Martin had recently returned from a church-sponsored mission to Tanzania, where he built houses.

"He was a gentleman. Very quiet. He would always help you out. He'd have your back, that's for sure," said Lees, who emigrated to the U.S. six years ago from South Africa.

"It's a pity. He was still young," said Lees.

Jack Martin was 47, his wife a bit younger, according to Sanders.

"It's horrible. He's a very good man," said Lees' wife, Louise.

As the fire burned, a bright orange hue rose high above the neighborhood, drawing residents from blocks around.

Daniel Hanson, 17, and Chris Milliron, 18, were about a block away when they heard a popping noise and went to investigate, thinking it might be a robbery. They saw the flames and called 911.

"It was taking too long, so I started banging on windows," said Hanson, who roused residents in a house next door.

Fire departments from Live Oak, Yuba City, Oswald and Meridian helped the Sutter County Fire Department.

CONTACT Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com . Appeal-Democrat reporter Ashley Gebb contributed to this story.