Three bodies were found Monday in a burned SUV in Orange and police were investigating the deaths as possible homicides.
Authorities received a report at 2:18 p.m. of a vehicle fire in the 500 block of East Oakmont Avenue near Shaffer Street, according to Lt. Fred Lopez of the Orange Police Department.
Three victims were found inside the vehicle, Sgt. Phil McMullen said.
NBC4 reported the driver of the vehicle was seen running away from it as it caught fire.
Police initially said the bodies were so badly burned that it was difficult to be definitive as to the number of victims.
“It’s unknown what caused the fire or what caused their deaths,” Lopez said. “But we do believe it was suspicious circumstances involving their deaths and are investigating it as such.”
The vehicle, a full-sized black SUV, had not been reported as stolen and was identifiable by its license plate, McMullen said.
It was not known if any of the victims was the registered owner of the vehicle, McMullen said.
Police did not release any identification information for the victims, including their gender.
— City News Service