Man is booked in deaths of four

Authorities booked an 18-year-old man Wednesday morning on suspicion of murder in the killings of a woman and her three young daughters whose bodies were found in their burning home.

Corey King of Lancaster is believed to have been at the victims’ house in the 1500 block of East Avenue J-3 on Monday night, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Patrick Nelson. According to members of the victims’ family, King “was present last night and he might have been there fairly late,” Nelson said Tuesday.

A car connected to the house was found at a nearby Wal-Mart, where a break-in occurred shortly after the house began burning, Nelson said, adding that authorities considered the incidents to be related.

Wal-Mart security guards unsuccessfully tried to detain a man after the break-in, Nelson said.

Investigators found “visible trauma” to the victims, whose bodies were found in separate locations inside the home, Nelson said, but he did not elaborate.

Gregory Stewart said the deceased were his wife and three daughters, ages 8, 12 and 14. Authorities have not yet identified them.

-- Ann Simmons