The Associated Press reports a 96-year-old woman died in one of the three house fires near Polo on Tuesday morning, May 10, which are being investigated as apparent arson.
Caldwell County Sheriff Mitchell Allen said Lorene Fickess died in the fire reported at approximately 8:30 a.m. The first fire was near Southwest Route D and Southwest Colt Drive where Fickess’s body was found inside the house. Authorities are investigating her death as a homicide.
During the next two hours, deputies and firefighters responded to one fire at Southwest Route D and Southwest Mirabile Drive and another at Southwest Route D and Route HH. Those two houses were said to be vacant, and no injuries were reported from those fires.
Allen said a dark four-door passenger vehicle was seen near the scene of each fire. It was possibly a black Dodge Caliber.
