Woman And Son Thought To Have Died In Illinois House Fire Were Really Shot To Death

OTTAWA, Ill. (AP) -- A woman and her adult son who were initially thought to have died in a house fire in the woman's Sheridan house last week had been shot to death, authorities said Monday.

According to LaSalle County Sheriff Thomas J. Templeton, the evidence suggests that the deaths were not a murder-suicide but that the two were shot by someone else.

The victims have been identified as Mary Comer, 61, and her son, James E. Larrison, 40, of Sublette. Comer lived in the house in this northern Illinois community with her husband, Herbert Comer. He was out of state at the time of the fire, Templeton said.

Templeton said the two were shot a short time before they were pulled from the house, but he would not say whether investigators believe the fire was set to cover up the crime. He said no suspects have been identified at this time.

He also declined to say how many times the two were shot or any other details about the shooting, because the investigation was ongoing.