An investigation into a deadly Alpine house fire that claimed the lives of two people last October has officially been suspended, arson investigators with the San Diego County Sheriff's office told NBC 7 San Diego.
Four people were sleeping in the home on the 700 block of South Grade Road when the fire sparked early one October morning: Angel, her husband John, her daughter Brittnee Gilmer and Cody. Cody, Brittnee’s boyfriend, was visiting from Virginia for eight days.
Angel Rice and Cody Watts could not escape the flames that engulfed the house and died in the fire, as did Brittnee's dog, Ricky. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's office has determined their deaths to be accidental; they died from smoke inhalation-related complications.
As flames filled the home that night, Brittnee said she broke a window and jumped out to safety. Her stepfather John was able to get out as well. However, officials say about a month later, he died from heart complications, likely unrelated to the fire.
The cause of the fire is being labeled undetermined, and the investigation has officially been suspended. If new evidence surfaces or a reason to resume the investigation surfaces, investigators will continue, but at this point they say they have done just about everything they can do.
Throughout the investigation, investigators said they heard rumors the fire may have been started intentionally, but they could not find evidence to prove anything suspicious.
Investigators interviewed Gilmer and others who were at the house prior to the fire several times in multiple interviews.
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When Brittnee informed investigators that she had hired an attorney, investigators found that odd, but again did find any evidence whatsoever to points towards the fire being suspicious.
Arson investigators say they weren’t able to pinpoint the origin of the fire due to extensive damage to the entire home. One area of the living room looked a bit more damaged than the rest, but there is no evidence to 100 percent determine that was the origin location.
David Bruce, the family's landlord, said the home was renovated a year and a half ago with all new wiring and everything was up to date.
