Police rule fire death ‘a homicide'
By the Associated Press
ROARING SPRING, Ky. (AP) - State police said autopsies were being performed this morning on the two remaining bodies authorities found when they responded to a house fire in rural western Kentucky.
Police found three people dead and one injured Wednesday night at a home near the sprawling Fort Campbell military post. One death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy Thursday.
Police have not named the victims.
State police spokesman Dean Patterson declined to say whether investigators have any suspects. He said more information would be released after the autopsies.
He said police are “following every lead we have.”
Patterson said Thursday afternoon that the victims were found at different places on the property but would not be specific.
Patterson said troopers were conducting a criminal investigation.
“It's considered a crime scene because we've got people who are dead,” Patterson said.
A California man told The Associated Press on Thursday that he is worried about his 17-year-old daughter after learning from relatives there was a fire at her mother's Roaring Spring home, where she recently moved.
“I know that I've had no contact with my daughter and obviously suspect the worst at this point,” said Doug Williams of Atwater, Calif.
Williams said he called the sheriff's office and spoke to a deputy.
“They wouldn't tell me anything. I've heard nothing,” he said. “I understand they're doing an investigation. I understand it, I know we've all got a job to do. It certainly doesn't help as a father wondering where your daughter is.”
Richard Coleman, 32, said he and his wife were preparing dinner Wednesday when one of their children ran in and said he saw a black cloud of smoke. Coleman said he and his wife saw the smoke and drove to the blaze about a half-mile away.
“By the time we got there, the house was fully engulfed,” Coleman said. “There was nothing they could have done at the time to save the structure.”
Coleman said they heard a woman yelling for help. About the same time, an emergency worker ran around the back of the house and found a woman, Coleman said.
Hopkinsville businessman John Schrecker, who was bicycling through the area with a friend, said he saw smoke from about three miles away.
“As we got there, the house was in flames,” he said.
Tim McGinnis, superintendent of Trigg County schools, said he's staying in touch with law enforcement.
“We are prepared and are in anticipation that whatever did occur may have an impact on our schools,” McGinnis said. “A lot of our students are hearing different stories. ... That is what makes it difficult because our students are hearing things that I can't confirm.”
Police blocked off a quarter-mile area around the house, and there was no answer Thursday morning at the front doors of several nearby homes in the rural community about 75 miles northwest of Nashville, Tenn.
Coleman said Fort Campbell soldiers frequently perform maneuvers as close as 500 feet behind his house.
Story created Oct 17, 2008 - 11:18:54 EDT.
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