Murder-Suicide Suspected in Fiery Deaths of Father, 3 Children

A former congressman watched somberly Thursday as fire investigators picked through the debris of the mountain home where his three grandchildren died with their father in a fire.

Officially, authorities declined to discuss the origin of the blaze in the remote Sherwood Forest subdivision 140 miles east of San Francisco. But two sources familiar with the investigation said the fire was being treated as a murder-suicide.

Those killed were identified as Timothy Halstead, 33, a T-shirt maker, and his three children, Haven Halstead, 8, Jordan Halstead, 5, and Elijah Murray Halstead, 4. Their charred remains were found Tuesday in the rubble.

Autopsies were conducted Thursday to determine the causes of death. The results were not immediately released.

Timothy Halstead had a history of domestic violence and was due in court the day of the fire for a hearing on a restraining order brought against him by Alyse Alexander, his estranged companion.

The children are the grandchildren of former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), and the step-grandchildren of former Rep. Bob Mathias, a congressman from California’s Central Valley and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Alexander’s daughter, Alyse, who was never married to Halstead, is the children’s mother. Mathias is now married to Alyse’s mother.

Alexander, a Washington, D.C., lawyer, is a registered counsel for Macedonia and was en route to that Balkan nation on business when he received word that his grandchildren had died. He flew back to the U.S., and arrived in San Francisco late Wednesday.

Authorities are investigating whether Halstead set the fire, which engulfed the house and its attached garage by the time firefighters arrived, sheriff’s Cmdr. Mark Anderson said.

Halstead and Alyse Alexander were separated and took turns taking care of the children.

Halstead has a history of violent threats, according to affidavits filed by Alexander. The affidavits were filed when she obtained a domestic violence restraining order against Halstead in Amador County Superior Court in June.

She charged that Halstead had threatened her and the children.