Two men and one teenage girl have been arrested in connection with the slaying of two men and one woman in Fullerton. On Saturday morning, police received a phone call from a child who said that her parents "had died." When police responded to the home in the 400 block of Gilbert Street, they discovered the bodies of Christopher Yost, 34; Jennifer Goodwill Yost, 38; and William Boucher, 28. They also found two young girls, ages 6 and 9, who were in the home, but unharmed. Police say it was the younger child who called 9-1-1 to report her parents' death. Katlynn Goodwill Yost, the daughter of Jennifer Goodwill Yost and the stepdaughter of Christopher Yost, was considered missing or at-risk, but according to Sgt. Jon Radus has "has been located" unharmed, ABC 7 reports.
Police have since arrested 21-year-old John Acosta of Fort Irin and 25-year-old Frank Felix of Sun Valley, as well as a 17-year-old girl, the L.A. Times reports. Because state laws prohibit law enforcement from releasing the identities of juveniles, authorities are not identifying the teen. Therefore, it has not been confirmed if the teen who is in custody is Katlynn.
A candlelight vigil was held for the victims on Sunday evening in front of the home where their bodies were discovered. William Boucher's mother was present and told CBS Los Angeles that her son had been friends with Goodwill Yost and had stayed at the home from time to time as he tried to get his finances in order. She said Boucher had his own 5-year-old son.
Police are not revealing how the victims were killed, but said that each had suffered "significant trauma." Neighbors of the family reported hearing gunshots on Friday night, and Boucher's mother told reporters that her son had been shot.
Boucher's mother also claimed that she was aware of some conflict between Katlynn and her mother and stepfather.
"I heard there were problems with this 17-year-old girl and her parents weren't allowing her to date this boy. I don't know which boy," she said. According to CNN, Radus said that one of the men who had been arrested did have some kind of relationship with Katlynn. However, police have not officially confirmed a motive.
An anonymous neighbor told the Times that she and Jennifer Goodwill Yost had been friends. She said Goodwill Yost stayed at home and cared for her children while her husband worked as a mechanic. Another neighbor, 67-year-old Virginia Wheeler, told the OC Register that Christoper Yost had fixed her car, and said he was a good father to his daughters.
A GoFundMe has been set up to cover funeral expenses for the family and to care for the two young girls that have been left behind.
