Two people were found dead in a house fire in Santa Ana Tuesday, and homicide detectives were conducting an investigation “because of the suspicious circumstances,” a police corporal said.
Firefighters were dispatched at 10:36 a.m. to a residence in the 2300 block of Manly Avenue and kept the blaze contained to the second floor, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. The OCFA later upgraded the blaze to a second alarm due to wind conditions. The fire was knocked down at 11:08 a.m.
Of the bodies found in the home, Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told City News Service, “One body found in the front living room appears to be male, but the gender of the second body found in the second floor bedroom is unknown at this point and will have to be determined by the coroner’s office.”
Bertagna confirmed reports that the deaths are now under investigation as homicides; detectives were waiting for a search warrant so they could enter the house and conduct their investigation.
“The fire department’s arson investigators had determined the fire was suspicious and turned the investigation over to us (police),” Bertagna said. “It’s my understanding they are also bringing in an accelerant dog to check for evidence that an accelerant was used to start the fire.”
Although the victims haven’t been identified, the family of the woman who owns the home said they are waiting for confirmation that she is dead, according to ABC7 News.
The woman’s husband, 39-year-old Ahmad Allasad, was arrested Saturday by Santa Ana police on suspicion of domestic violence there at the same house. Allasad, who’s unemployed, was released the next day after posting bond, according to Orange County jail records.
The woman’s brother, Scott, told reporters that Allasad had threatened the family before he was arrested and he believed that Allasad and his sister are now dead.
Bertagna said he didn’t know if Allasad was the male victim inside the burned home.