4 deaths from fire in mansion owned by former tennis star James Blake.

[HooptieWagon]

http://tbo.com/news/breaking-news/two-die-in-avila-house-fire-20140507/

summary: pre-dawn explosion and fire at mansion owned by James Blake. Located in Avila, an uber-exclusive gated community N of Tampa. Blake family not living there, he was renting out the mansion. 4 bodies found. Another source reported that victims were a man, woman, and teen (that source didnt mention 4th body, which was just discovered). Same source (Daily Mail) reported that the bodies had gunshot wounds in heads, and fireworks were strapped to bodies. Also several empty gas cans found inside.
Mansion is destroyed and unsafe to enter. Hillsborough Co Sheriffs have to wait until structure is reinforced before entering to conduct investigation...expected to be thurs or fri.

[LoisB]

1. Good grief!

[quinnox]

2. Whoa, I just saw him play tennis in the local sports arena a couple of months ago

Weird story.

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. sad story

[HooptieWagon]

3. My guess....

Avila is a gated community with pretty good security. People just can't drive in and out without being on security video and being id'd by security. So my guess is that this was a murder/suicide by the tennants... but thats just speculation.

[JI7]

5. sounds like it based on how they found the bodies

that person who was the 4th body found was probably the one who did it.

[okaawhatever]

6. How sad. nt

[HooptieWagon]

7. Updates:

All four victims had gunshot wounds. A firearm registered to father recovered from house. Currently unknown if the firearm was used for gunshot wounds.

Father had purchased "unusually large" amount of fireworks a few days prior. Fireworks were NOT strapped to bodies as originally reported. Father also purchased several gas cans a few days prior.

Police are not seeking a suspect at this time.

http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/2014/05/08/avila-mansion-fire-four-bodies/8868057/

IMO, its increasing looking like the father did a murder/suicide, for reasons currently unkown... as I postulated above. He was the treasurer for the charter school the kids attended. I don't know if the suicide was depression-related or crime-related. Friends, neighbors, school, and ex-employers all seem to speak highly of the family.

[bettyellen]

8. another man who lost his job, sad.

[HooptieWagon]

9. Further update:

Sheriff's office just had a press conference, confirm that father shot wife and kids, set fire, and shot himself. Motive not yet known.