A rampaging gunman killed five people in Rancho Tehama, including his wife, whose body was found hidden beneath the floor of their home, authorities said Wednesday.
At a morning news conference, Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston said that Kevin Janson Neal, 44, likely began Tuesday’s rampage after killing his wife with several gunshots and hiding her body beneath the floor.
Johnston said law enforcement officers found the woman’s body during a search at their Bobcat Lane residence late Tuesday.
“We were looking for his wife and couldn’t find her yesterday,” Johnston said. We located her dead body concealed under the floor of the residence last night .… We believe that’s probably what started this whole event.”
It appeared that Neal had killed his wife on Monday, he said. A hole had been cut in the floor and then covered up, according to Johnston.