Willow, AK: Not all victims were killed by fire in trailer near Willow

BY CASEY GROVE
CASEY.GROVE@ADN.COM
Published: 11/11/1012:33 pm | Updated: 11/11/1012:35 pm


Not all of those found dead in a trailer that burned to the ground north of Willow died as a result of the fire, according to Alaska State Troopers, who tentatively identified the four deceased on Wednesday.

Troopers identified the dead as Vannaphone Soundara, 43; Azrealle C.D. Stewart, 23 -- who filed for divorce from Soundara three weeks ago, according to court records - and two children, 4-year-old Akson S.T. Soundara and 1-year-old Kayson J.L. Soundara.

Volunteer firefighters found the four badly burned bodies Tuesday as they finished extinguishing the blaze near Mile 87 of the Parks Highway.

Final identification will come from the state medical examiner's office, troopers said. Investigators are still working on locating next of kin, troopers said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Investigators would not elaborate on the statement that not all the victims died as a result of the fire.

In 2000 Soundara tortured and threatened to burn his common-law wife, a different woman, who said she was leaving him, according to documents filed with the Alaska Court of Appeals. A jury had convicted Soundara of kidnapping, assault and tampering with evidence, according to court records. Soundara appealed, and details of the assault are included in the subsequent Appeals Court ruling.

Soundara tied up the woman, referred to as T.K. in the documents, and whipped her with speaker cords, according to evidence referenced in the Appeals Court ruling. He choked her repeatedly, hit her with the butt of a gun, and smacked her with the dull side of a knife blade, then threatened to cut her with it and rub salt in the wound, according to the court documents. At one point, Soundara pointed the gun at her head, right between her eyes, and said he would shoot her, the documents show.

After the six or seven hours of choking and beating, he told her that if she left, he would shoot their children, set fire to them, and then kill himself, according to the documents.

The documents also say Soundara carried out the overnight assault in the presence of children at the home.

The Appeals Court upheld the seven-year sentence imposed by the trial judge.