Officials with the Monroe County Georgia Sheriff’s Office say a teen has been arrested in Douglas County and is facing extradition charges for his role in a fire in Georgia that resulted in the deaths of two people.
Releases from that department said officials responded to a home fire near Forsyth, Georgia in the early morning hours of February 27th. A home was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived. After the fire was extinguished, two bodies were found in the home.
The victims were eventually identified as 46-year old Tasha Vandiver and 21-year old Gerald Walton. Later that day the McCraken County Sheriff’s Office in western Kentucky said they had stopped the female victim’s vehicle and taken her 16-year old daughter into custody. After further investigation, enough probable cause was obtained to charge Candace Walton with two counts of murder, arson and multiple counts of theft by taking after she was extradited from Kentucky. Gerald Walton is the girl’s brother while Vandiver is her mother, according to Georgia officials.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said after a thorough investigation, enough evidence was obtained to charge the girl’s boyfriend, 17-year old Kaleo Pangelinan with two counts of murder.
On Thursday, investigators with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office arrested the teen at 4:30 p.m. He is now facing an extradition hearing on the Georgia charges.
Under Georgia law, juveniles age 13 and older are charged as adults for murder and a number of other crimes.
Anna Lewis, Public Information Coordinator for the Monroe County Georgia Sheriff’s Office told News Radio 1240 KQEN, it is their understanding that Pangelinan was currently living in Oregon, but he had previously lived in Georgia.
Principal Jill Weber of Roseburg High School said she found no sign that the boy had ever been an RHS student, after searching records.
KQEN is seeking more information from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, regarding the arrest.