A court appearance is scheduled for today, Wednesday, Nov. 20 for Brandon Scott Pettit of Modesto and Felix Valverde III of Oakdale. The two remain jailed without bail in connection with the August murders of Scott and Janet Pettit of Modesto, Brandon’s parents.

The two are charged with murder, accused of killing Brandon’s parents in their Modesto home and then setting the house on fire in an effort to cover up the slayings. Authorities have said the motive apparently was financial but have provided no further details.

The deaths of the well-known Riverbank Karate for Kids business owner Scott Pettit and his wife Janet, both 59, were classified as homicides by Modesto Police investigators on Friday, Aug. 9 of this year after their bodies were found in their home following an early morning, Aug. 8 house fire in Modesto.

Following an extensive investigation, authorities arrested Pettit and Valverde on Saturday, Aug. 17 on suspicion of murder and arson, saying that the fire at the Modesto home was set in order to cover up the murder of the two.