Five dead after shooting, explosion in mobile home park

An ongoing dispute at a mobile home park on the north side of Santa Maria led to a shooting and subsequent explosion on June 21.

Investigators believe Claude Adams shot and killed Kurt Bracke and Richard Hanen near the clubhouse at Casa Grande Mobile Estates over a feud that resulted in Adams’ pending eviction from the neighborhood. 

Following the shooting, Adams returned to his mobile home, which subsequently exploded and burst into flames. According to the Santa Maria Police Department, investigators found three bodies in the home, which they believe to be Adams, his wife Sherry Adams, and their son Seth Adams. The Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Bureau is working to confirm the identification of the bodies.

Investigators believe Adams killed his wife and son, but the cause of death hasn’t been verified and the timeline of events remains unclear. The investigation is ongoing. 

—Zac Ezzone

This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 4, 2019.