Gunshots killed two people found in Miami County fire

Two people found dead after a Miami County house fire Monday were killed by gunshots, the Miami County sheriff’s office said Thursday.

The identities of the victims have not been confirmed, the sheriff’s office said, but the married couple who lived there have been unaccounted for since the fire.

When firefighters responded Monday morning in the 3400 block of West 239th Street, they reported a house, barn and at least one vehicle engulfed in flames. They also reported that ammunition could be heard exploding inside the house and barn.

After crews extinguished the fire, investigators discovered both bodies inside the house.

James Gast, who lives about a quarter mile down the road, was in his house that morning when another neighbor came in and said to call 911.

He and the neighbor went to the burning house and kicked in a locked back door.

“We hollered, but we couldn’t get in because of the flames and smoke,” Gast said. “It’s a bad deal, especially when it hits so close to home.”

Officials said Thursday they are continuing to investigate what caused the fire.

Area court records indicate that the occupants had experienced financial problems in recent years.

Just last month in Miami County District Court, a mortgage foreclosure action was filed against them. That case was dismissed on Thursday, according to court officials.

According to documents filed in that case, the couple took out a loan in 2005 for the property but have not made payments since August. The documents allege that they owe about $132,000.

They also had faced a mortgage foreclosure action several years ago on a house in Kansas City, Kan., according to Wyandotte County District Court records.

And in 2010, they filed a bankruptcy case. The case was terminated in February 2014.

According to bankruptcy documents, the man was self-employed as a drywall installer. His wife worked in the deli department at a Price Chopper store at 151st Street and Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park.

Cheryl Keller, human resources manager at the store, said the fire news devastated employees and customers. The woman had worked at the store for nearly eight years.

“She was absolutely wonderful,” Keller said. “She was always joking and talking. I’ve never seen her angry.”

This story was originally published June 11, 2015 at 10:24 AM with the headline "Gunshots killed two people found in Miami County fire."