OXNARD : Washington State Boy Held in Slayings

A 14-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday in Oxnard on suspicion of murder in the slayings of a family of four in Washington State, police said.

The boy, who is from the small town of Granger, Wash., was in Oxnard visiting an aunt when he was taken into custody by three detectives from the Oxnard Police Department.

Authorities from Yakima County, Wash., were on their way to California late Tuesday to question the boy, who was being held at Ventura County Juvenile Hall, Oxnard police said.

Autopsies revealed that the victims died after being stabbed repeatedly and beaten with pieces of firewood, authorities said.

The slayings occurred March 24 at the family’s mobile home in the lower Yakima Valley, authorities said.

The victims were identified as Michael Duane Skelton, 34, Lynn Keiko Skelton, 34, Jason Ryan Skelton, 12, and Bryan Michael Skelton, 6.

Yakima County Sheriff’s Department investigators said they have a motive but declined to disclose it.

A second 14-year-old boy was arrested Monday in Washington in connection with the slayings.

A 13-year-old Yakima County boy who is not in custody gave authorities details about the crime which led to the arrest of the other two boys.