exposing the dark side of adoption
Register Log in

CHILDREN OF FORMER FAYETTEVILLE MAN DIE IN ARSON FIRE AT HOME IN HAWAII

public
(Wendy Clemons Touchette is a sister of Michael, Jamie and Jacob Clemons)

Post-Standard, The (Syracuse, NY)

A former Fayetteville man and his wife were critically burned and their two children killed Monday in an arson fire at their home in Kailua, Hawaii.

Kalah and Joshua Touchette were killed and their parents, Michael and Wendy Touchette, were severely burned in the blaze that police officials in Hawaii said was started by a man who went on a violent spree that claimed two other lives.

County prosecutors detailed to an Oahu grand jury a record of violent threats by Orlando Ganal that began months before the rampage.

Ganal threatened his wife with a gun the day before his spree, and threats that began in May to his wife's boyfriend drove the boyfriend, David Touchette, from Hawaii in July, prosecutors told the jury that issued an indictment Thursday.

Ganal, 37, was indicted Thursday on a variety of charges including first-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening and possession, use or threat to use a firearm in commission of a felony.

Ganal was being held on bail of more than $1 million.

Ganal allegedly began his rampage Sunday night by fatally shooting his parents-in-law, Santiago and Aradina Dela Cruz, and shooting his wife, Mabel, 34, and their 14-year-old son, Orlando Ganal Jr. Mabel Ganal and her son were critically wounded.

From there, he allegedly set fire to the Touchette home, reportedly because he thought Michael's brother, David, still lived there.

The fire killed the couple's 2-year-old daughter, Kalah, and their 10-month-old son, Joshua. Both parents remain hospitalized.

Police say Ganal concluded his rampage by setting fire to Young Laundry amd Dry Cleaning, where he had worked for 15 years.

Kalah was born in Columbia, Md., and Joshua was born in Honolulu.

Surviving besides their parents are their paternal grandparents, John and Evelyn Touchette of Manlius; their maternal grandparents,

David and Sally Clemons of Maryland;

their great-grandparents, Frank and Virginia Simpson and Tolin and Lillian Clemons; and their great-great-grandmother, Margaret Ruth.

The Touchettes are expected to be hospitalized for up to eight weeks.

Contributions to help defray the couple's medical costs are being accepted by the Watertown Ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in care of Bishop Craig W. Tuckett, 460 Barben Ave., Watertown, 13601.

Care Groups Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary has charge of arrangements.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

1991 Aug 31