Tragedy compounded

◼ http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_12044131
Thirty-three year old Cleatous Ray Hantz died of a single gunshot wound to the head before his Eureka home exploded in flames last week, investigators said.

A gun was found near Hantz' body, which was lying on the living room floor of the Glen Street residence, by firefighters responding to the early morning blaze, said Eureka Police Chief Garr Nielsen. It's not clear if the gunshot wound was self-inflicted, Nielsen said.

The incident remains classified as a suspicious death, he said.

Humboldt County Deputy Coroner Ray Horton said it appears that the gun, a .380-caliber handgun, was placed into Hantz' mouth. There was a bullet entrance wound at the back of the throat, Horton said, and a bullet was found lodged in his brain.

Horton said it appears that Hantz was dead at the time of the explosion and fire, and had not inhaled any smoke. Horton added that it's impossible to know how soon before the blast he died.

”From my perspective and from what I know about the case,” Horton said, “I would say that this is a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.”...

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