News briefs for August 10, 2001

Friday, Aug. 10, 2001 | 11:25 a.m.

Resident found dead in fire

One of the burned bodies found in a Henderson home was identified Thursday as the female resident, but the other body discovered has not yet been identified, Henderson Police said.

The Clark County coroner's office determined one of the bodies was that of Yudit Thaker. The two bodies were found inside the master bedroom at 90 Parker Ranch Drive about 5:15 p.m. Monday.

Police have not determined if the second body is that of Thaker's husband, Sonny Thaker.

Police believe the fire in the home was deliberately set, but no cause of death has been determined. Detectives are investigating the deaths as a homicide, but they have not ruled if it was a double murder or a murder-suicide, said Officer Terry Bowler, a Henderson Police spokesman.

The Thakers lived in the home with Yudit Thaker's 8-year-old son from a previous marriage. The boy was picked up at school by another family member after his mother and stepfather didn't pick him up.

CDC team to start probe

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team begins on Monday a formal investigation of 14 childhood leukemia cases in Fallon, state epidemiologist Dr. Randall Todd said today.

As medical investigators began collecting biological samples such as blood and urine from patients' families and others who have no history of the disease, state environmental officials were investigating a "minor" spill of jet fuel at the Fallon Municipal Airport.

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection Division Administrator Allen Biaggi said today state inspectors will oversee the cleanup of contaminated soil at the airport.

The division has ordered airport officials to place drip pans under hoses during refueling operations and to remove all soil contaminated with the fuel, containing benzene, a known cancer-causing agent, Biaggi said. Stained soil a few inches deep will be removed with a state official at the site during cleanup, he said.

Louisiana man arrested

A Louisiana man who took off in a stolen minivan two weeks ago with the owner's two willing teenage stepchildren was arrested late Wednesday at the Gold Rush hotel in Henderson.

Andrew Austin, 22, of Lacombe, was arrested after the minivan pulled into the Gold Rush parking lot, where Austin thought he was about to meet his uncle, Henderson police said.