Son charged in arson deaths of parents in Anchorage house fire

A 46-year-old man is facing murder and arson charges in the deaths of his parents in a February house fire in Anchorage.

Kathryn and James Gould died after firefighters rescued them from the blaze in a multi-family residence in the U-Med district.

An Anchorage grand jury on Wednesday indicted Gould on two counts of first-degree murder, six counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson. He was being held on bail set previously at $1 million, according to a temporary order filed in the case.

The indictment this week marks the first official confirmation of criminal charges in the case after indications that began just days after the fire. In early February, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the manner of Kathie Gould’s death to be homicide.

Earlier this year, a family member described the Goulds as longtime residents of King Cove who moved to Anchorage more recently to be near family. James and Kathryn Gould were the owners of John Gould & Sons, a King Cove general store that first opened in 1939, according to KUCB public radio.

Five relatives lived in a unit next to the couple at the address near East 36th Avenue and Lake Otis Parkway. The fire displaced them and destroyed their belongings.

Joshua Gould was scheduled for his first court appearance on the charges Friday afternoon.