Location: Chimney and Reservation Road, Porterville

Incident Date: 06-23-19

Incident Time: 0114hrs

Case Number: 19-7687

City: Porterville

Posted by: Media Relations

On Sunday, June 23rd at 1:14 a.m, the Tule River Fire Department from the Tule Indian Reservation received a report of a loud explosion and vehicle fire in the area of Chimney & Reservation Road in Porterville.  Cal-Fire responded to the scene with the assistance of Tulare County Fire and upon arrival they located a grass fire and a vehicle, which was fully engulfed.  

Fire Officials were able to gain control and extinguish the fire.  During their investigation, Fire Officials located a deceased person inside the vehicle.  

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office was notified and responded to the scene.  Detectives from the Homicide Unit and General Investigations unit have taken over the investigation and are currently treating the case as a suspicious death, pending an autopsy.  The identity of the decedent remains unknown at this time, but Detectives are currently working on developing leads.  

Anyone with more information about this case is urged to contact Detective Greg Burns at the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department via telephone at #1-800-808-0488 or anonymously at tcso@tipnow.com or by text or voicemail at #559-725-4194.