Burlington---The home explosion and fire that occurred on Saturday, May 14th ---killing 3 people---is a real whodunit---and---the Racine County Sherriff’s Office says it really can’t prove who did it.
Based on the totality of the information obtained throughout the investigation---the evidence leads them to one person---but---in a press release issued Wednesday---Sheriff Christopher Schmaling says “the exact series of events may never be known.”
The home on Ketterhagen Road was occupied by 41-year-old Craig Lambert---43-year-old Kimberly Howe---and---her 17-year-old son Nicholas Chaulkin. All three are dead as the result of the explosion and fire.
Lambert and Howe---who had been dating and living together for several years--- had apparently been involved in a recent domestic dispute---and---Lambert was being kicked out of the house.
Just prior to the fire---Kimberly Howe and her son had been living in a hotel. Investigators have established that---less than hour before the fire was reported---Kimberley Howe had called someone to say she was on her way to the home to make sure that Lambert was packing up and leaving. That call concluded at 2:31 pm---the day of the fire. The first reports of a fire at the home were received 45 minutes later at 3:16pm.
Investigators established that Nicholas Chaulkin--the son-- likely died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head---prior to the fire. A handgun was found---and---his death has been ruled a homicide.
The injuries sustained by Craig Lambert and Kimberly Howe were so severe that the Medical Examiner’s Office was unable to determine their exact cause of death---but---Lambert had smoke in his lungs---which is consistent with him being alive after the fire began.
Bottom line: Craig Lambert is responsible for the deaths of Chaulkin and Howe, according to the best information that the sheriff's dept. was able to collect.
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