2 found dead in house next to meth lab

A man and a woman visiting Madera County from Mexico were found murdered Tuesday, Jan. 16, in a house in the 24000 block of Robertson Boulevard near Chowchilla.

According to information from the office of Sheriff Jay Varney, the victims were identified as Armando Villanueva, 70, and Marta Torres, 63.

The two had been visiting family members in the Chowchilla area for the last several months.

Although a cause of death had not been determined, pending a coroner’s report, both victims showed signs of apparent trauma.

California Department of Justice investigators discovered a methamphetamine conversion lab in a residence next door to where the murder victims were found.

Department of Justice personnel cleaned and removed all evidence and material from the lab, and reported they had found no risk to the public health.

The Department of Justice will be collaborating with the Madera County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation of the lab and whether it had a connection to the deaths of the two Mexican nationals, according to a sheriff’s department news release.

People with information about the crime or the meth lab are urged to call the sheriff’s office at 675-7770 or Valley Crime Stoppers at 498-STOP (7867).