Double Murder Victims Discovered in Newport Beach Field

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — A brutal Orange County double murder and suspected arson led authorities to arrest a 37-year-old Huntington Beach man on Monday. The bodies of the murdered women were discovered in a field in Newport Beach Monday morning, according to authorities. One of the victim's homes caught fire on New Year's Day, likely arson, according to Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Larry Kurtz.

Unspecified evidence in that home connected Huntington Beach resident Christopher Ireland to the crimes, according to the Westminster Police Department Corporal Alan Aoki.

Huntington Beach resident Christopher Ireland was taken into custody by Westminster police on Monday morning and booked on two counts of murder in the deaths of Yolanda Holtrey, 59, and her 49-year-old friend—also of Huntington Beach— whose name was withheld pending notification of next of kin.

An early morning New Year's Day fire at Holtrey's home in the 5000 block of Northwestern Way on New Year's Day was the start of the investigation, according to both OCFA investigators and Westminster police.

The fire was reported at just before 5:30 a.m., according to OCFA Capt. Larry Kurtz. 27 firefighters responded to that scene, according to Kurtz.

"It took about 30 minutes to put out," Kurtz said. "There is no confirmed cause for the fire yet, but it's possibly arson."

Westminster police agreed with the arson theory.

"It does seem to be connected to the murders," Westminster police Corporal Alan Aoki stated.

After the fire at the house was put out, authorities could not locate Holtrey, a fact that sparked the murder investigation and the grisly discovery of the two women's bodies.

Ireland was arrested after he appeared at the fire scene. Aoki said his arrest came after detectives uncovered certain, unspecified evidence at the home that appeared to connect Ireland to the crimes. However, he said the motives for the fire and the subsequent murders is unclear at this point and remain under investigation.

Ireland, he said, has had no prior run-ins with law enforcement in Westminster.

Ireland is a licensed real estate agent working for Realty One Group, Inc. in Rancho Cucamonga with no disciplinary actions on his record, according to California real estate records. Ireland was first licensed as an agent this past August.

The suspect's wife Samantha Ireland told NBC4 the couple attended a New Year's Eve party at Holtrey's house and had a good time. "There were no fights, arguments," she said.

The couple went home, Samantha Ireland said. "I don't remember him leaving the house. He doesn't remember anything."

She reportedly worked with the women at Stein Mart.

Aoki said it didn't appear that anyone else but Ireland was involved in these crimes.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department was assisting Westminster police in this investigation.

Ireland was being held in Orange County jail without bail, according to jail records. He is scheduled to head to court on Wednesday for his arraignment.

Westminster Police Photo