Columbia, CA…The victim of last week’s arson and homicide investigation has been positively identified as 39 year old, Dionecia Valencia. The next of kin has been contacted and notified of the circumstances surrounding the investigation. On the morning of August 13th, the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls reporting a residential fire in the area of Adelleana Lane in Columbia. Several deputies were dispatched to the location. As deputies responded to the area, they observed two male juveniles walking along the roadway. Due to the nature of the call, deputies continued to the scene in an effort to rescue anyone who may have been in harm’s way.

Near the scene, deputies contacted an adult female walking away from the fire who reported she had been sleeping in the residence when she awoke to flames. The female also stated that her friend may have still been inside, but she was unable to locate her as she escaped the fire herself.

When the deputies arrived, they found a residence fully engulfed in flames and inaccessible. Multiple local Fire Department’s arrived at the scene and began extinguishing the flames. As the housefire was being contained, deputies and fire personnel learned of a second fire in vegetation, away from the house. During the fire suppression efforts, a body was discovered within the vegetation fire.

Due to the nature of the scene, detectives from the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office and a pathologist from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Coroner Division were called to investigate.

While at the scene, it was presumptively determined that the body was that of a female who had died prior to the fire’s ignition. Blood, weapons and other evidence were discovered in the area and collected for further processing.

Through a joint effort between Sheriff’s detectives and the original responding deputies, the two juveniles seen walking in the area at the time of the fire were positively identified as two sixteen-year-old males. The juveniles were located, questioned and ultimately arrested based on several obtained statements and evidence. Evidence placed the juveniles at the scene and the suspects were known to the victim.

An autopsy of Dionecia’s body was conducted at the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Coroner Office, where it was discovered that the she died of “multiple sharp force and chop force injuries.”

Through investigative efforts including physical evidence, statements and the autopsy; it is believed that an ambush style attack took place the night before the fire, involving the two suspects and multiple bladed weapons. The victim ultimately succumbed to multiple stabbing and chopping injuries to her head and upper body.

The juveniles are currently being held on charges of Murder, Attempted Murder and Arson. This investigation is ongoing as interviews continue and physical evidence, including DNA, is being analyzed.