Authorities Offer Reward In Midwest City Double Homicide, House Fire Case

A murder shrouded in mystery was seven months in the making.

Tuesday, January 13th 2015, 11:29 pm

By: News 9


A murder shrouded in mystery was seven months in the making. It started in June when Midwest City firefighters made a terrible discovery. In the rubble, a man and a woman were murdered and then set on fire. 

6/21/2014 Related Story: Midwest City Police Investigates Deadly House Fire

Investigators said they now find themselves at a dead end.

The bodies of Shelby Hughes and Bryan Vanassche were found back on June 21, but police said they still have no idea who killed them. A little white house with blue trim caught fire back in June, and detectives said they believe someone set it on fire after killing the couple who lived there. It has been dozed over, but police said they are still working the crime and have hit a wall in the case.

“We've come to an area where we're not getting any more information,” Midwest City Police Assistant Chief Sid Porter.

However, police said they are not releasing the little information they do have and believe the man and woman who lived there together were murdered.

“They were later taken to the medical examiner's office where it was determined that they died by homicide,” Porter said.

News 9 talked with a neighbor, and even though he's lived there 40 years, he didn't want to be on camera. But he did know a thing or two about the area. He said he woke up the morning of the fire after smelling something burning.

“I get up, and I walk out, and it's the Fourth of July with police, fire and crime scene tape,” Porter said.

It gave a better timeframe of when the crime could have happened.

“So sometime between five and 5:30,” Porter said.

But investigators needed more.

“We're hoping someone may have seen something or know something that's going on and call us with that information,” Porter said.

Officials said there is a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case. If you know anything, contact Midwest City police.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

January 13th, 2015

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024