PORT ANGELES — As the investigation continues into a fatal fire in west Port Angeles that appears to have caused the death of a mother and her three young children, the suspect in that fire has been ordered held on five-million dollars bail.

34-year-old Matthew Wetherington made a first appearance in Clallam County Superior Court Monday.

Prosecutor Michelle Devlin told Superior Court Judge Brent Basden that despite having no official report from the Coroner’s office as to the identities of the four victim’s of the fire, she believed there was cause to expect that charges of aggravated murder would be forthcoming.

Devlin listed the prior felony convictions of Wetherington (who is a registered sex offender) as burglary, robbery, assault and unlawful imprisonment, all with a sexual motivation. She described him as a likely flight risk based on his short time in the community, as evidenced by the fact that he was living in a tent in a wooded area near Lincoln Park and the trailer park that was the scene of the fire.

Port Angeles police say they also found a journal at Wetherington’s campsite that may have outlined preparations for the crime. According to probable cause documents, there was a journal entry from Friday, the day before the fire, that said: “Day one … or is it day three? … Preparations are merely complete. Just need to last another eleven hours before it really begins”.

Yesterday, public defender Harry Gasnick said he would not discuss the conditions of Wetherington’s release until he’d had a chance to see the list of witnesses compiled by police and could interview them.

Judge Basden agreed  that Wetherington poses a significant flight risk and should be considered a danger to the community, and set the suspect’s bail at the requested $5 million. He also ordered Wetherington to appear back in court on Wednesday, July 10 at 1:00 to face formal charges.

Four bodies were found inside the trailer home after the Saturday morning fire. Unofficially, they are thought to be 34-year-old Valerie Kambeitz, 9-year-old Lilly Kambeitz, 6-year-old Emma Kambeitz and 5-year-old Jayden Kambeitz.

Wetherington and Valerie Kambeitz were married in May. Witnesses say they saw him running from the trailer about 2:30 Saturday morning.

Photo: Prosecutors Michelle Devlin and Steve Johnson face suspect Wetherington (left) and Public Defender Gasnick.