GUILTY CA - Adam, 38, & Gavin Buchanan, 8, Molly McAfee, 37, Greenwood, 13 Sep 2015 *Arrest*

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He's charged as an adult.

http://kron4.com/2015/10/01/16-year-old-son-arrested-in-benicia-family-cabin-homicide-case/

The Benicia Unified School District has issued the following statement on the arrest:

snip

From the onset, we worked closely with the El Dorado Sheriff’s Department throughout their investigation. We asked directly if the student gave any indication of being a risk to himself or others, and we were informed that he did not.

We kept a close eye on the student, met with him daily, and were observant of any concerning behaviors for his safety and the safety of others.
 
Sheriff's deputies traveled to Benicia to tell Nolan Buchanan about the fire and he told them he had stayed behind.

Days later, investigators returned to serve a search warrant at the family's home at 500 Cambridge Drive in Benicia as well as at Buchanan's construction business, seizing a white Ford F-150 truck.

Investigators found evidence in the truck that contradicted Nolan Buchanan's statement, D'Agostini said.

"The investigation led us to believe that Nolan was involved," said El Dorado County Sheriff's Sgt. Todd Hammitt. "Through the investigation, we located fire arms, ammunition."

Later, they found McAfee's purse and Adam Buchanan's wallet along with a gun and ammunition at a Benicia business park near Buchanan Construction & Sons at 4868 E. Second St.

Nolan Buchanan apparently had stayed behind but then drove the truck to the cabin, killed the family and returned to Benicia. He continued to live in Benicia and was attending school, according to D'Agostini.
Click to expand...

http://www.ktvu.com/news/27621269-story

NolanB.jpg
Nolan Buchanan has been charged as an adult in the three murders after originally telling investigators that he had remained behind in Benicia while his family visited the cabin for a weekend in September




Man, I sure missed it on this one. The above article pretty much spells out the entire plot. Apparently he drove there in the white business truck, gunned them down (I would guess in their sleep), lit the place up and then left around 1:30 a.m. when the neighbor reported seeing the truck leaving. He must have taken all of their identification
as well as the gun he used and hidden it at his Dad's business. Why he would have taken their I.D.'s is beyond me.

I have a suspicion that LE may have obtained video from some local surveillance cameras that show him running back and forth to the family business in that white truck. I also take it that LE must have found some spent bullets in the rubble that weren't mentioned anywhere.
 
i wonder what brought this on? a step / blended family issue?
 
cvaldez1975 said:
i wonder what brought this on? a step / blended family issue?
Click to expand...

My guess would be greed. His Dad appeared to be pretty successful. Not that many people own both a primary residence and a vacation home in California, not with the price of real estate what it is there.
I guess in a 16 y.o.'s mind, if Dad wasn't around anymore, he would get all of it to himself.

Home, business, vehicles, money......all his now. This new generation of kids seem to think they are entitled to start out where Mom and Dad are now, instead of having to work their way up. Of course, a whole bunch of them have no desire to do any kind of work of any sort.

If you can't do it while staring at a phone texting, then it isn't worth doing. They're lost.
 
My stomach is upset over this case.
The family is faced with the impossible task of assimilating colossal
loss. My heart goes out to them. There is no way to understand what happened or why. People will be second guessing themselves forever. I hope they can find solace in time.
Nolen can't fix this. He has a dim future ahead. I am curious what made him feel so angry. This wasn't a murder in the heat of the moment. He is a very mixed up kid. A kid who appeared to be beloved by the very family whose lives he extinguished.
 
Son Nolen trained at a martial arts studio near the family business, and after the fire, Nolen went to talk to the owner.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/28641634-story

Quares said after the family was reported missing, Nolen Buchanan gave him a list of things he wanted to talk about. Quares showed KTVU the list which consisted of family members and company assets.

"I guess what struck me as odd was right away, he started to talking about the businesses and the property," he said, adding that police took a photo of the list.
 
Charges do not include arson.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article37904661.html

Family and friends divided by the crime and its human toll declined to speak to reporters after the hearing, during which Nolen Buchanan’s formal arraignment was delayed until Nov. 2 by El Dorado Superior Court Judge Nelson Keith Brooks. Members of the victims’ family were escorted past reporters to their cars outside the Placerville courtroom on Fairlane Court by plainclothed sheriff’s deputies.
 
I just cant imagine a 16 year old being that calculating! I know it happens but damn.. at that age, they are still fully supported. I don't get it ... smh...

steelman said:
My guess would be greed. His Dad appeared to be pretty successful. Not that many people own both a primary residence and a vacation home in California, not with the price of real estate what it is there.
I guess in a 16 y.o.'s mind, if Dad wasn't around anymore, he would get all of it to himself.

Home, business, vehicles, money......all his now. This new generation of kids seem to think they are entitled to start out where Mom and Dad are now, instead of having to work their way up. Of course, a whole bunch of them have no desire to do any kind of work of any sort.

If you can't do it while staring at a phone texting, then it isn't worth doing. They're lost.
Click to expand...
 
heh... so im seeing a combo of greed and blended family issues. the dad and gf fought a lot and didn't care who saw.

SophieRose said:
Son Nolen trained at a martial arts studio near the family business, and after the fire, Nolen went to talk to the owner.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/28641634-story

Quares said after the family was reported missing, Nolen Buchanan gave him a list of things he wanted to talk about. Quares showed KTVU the list which consisted of family members and company assets.

"I guess what struck me as odd was right away, he started to talking about the businesses and the property," he said, adding that police took a photo of the list.
Click to expand...
 
so does that mean the house burned down as part of the wildfires around that area at that time? or they cannot find evidence of accelerants or what?

SophieRose said:
Charges do not include arson.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article37904661.html

Family and friends divided by the crime and its human toll declined to speak to reporters after the hearing, during which Nolen Buchanan’s formal arraignment was delayed until Nov. 2 by El Dorado Superior Court Judge Nelson Keith Brooks. Members of the victims’ family were escorted past reporters to their cars outside the Placerville courtroom on Fairlane Court by plainclothed sheriff’s deputies.
Click to expand...
 
cvaldez1975 said:
so does that mean the house burned down as part of the wildfires around that area at that time? or they cannot find evidence of accelerants or what?
Click to expand...
They probably are still waiting for evidence to be tested.

Here's what left of the house. Last picture.

http://www.mtdemocrat.com/media-posts/teen-charged-with-murdering-family-2/attachment/100_8502/
The foundation is all that remains of a fire-razed cabin in Greenwood where three members of the Buchanan family were found deceased Sept. 13.
 
SophieRose said:
They probably are still waiting for evidence to be tested.

Here's what left of the house. Last picture.

http://www.mtdemocrat.com/media-posts/teen-charged-with-murdering-family-2/attachment/100_8502/
The foundation is all that remains of a fire-razed cabin in Greenwood where three members of the Buchanan family were found deceased Sept. 13.
Click to expand...

burned cabin.jpg

Seeing that propane bottle sitting there opens up other possibilities. I don't know if this kid had the smarts to rig up a time released bomb or not, but that may have something to do with them saying the fire was "suspicious" right from the git-go. He could have used the propane itself as an aerosol accelerant, similar to natural gas.

For instance, he could have opened up all the burners on the cook stove with no flame, and then let the pilot light on the water heater or the wall heater blow the place sky high after the gas built up long enough. Once the gas ignited, it would have created a flash fire throughout the entire cabin.
 
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