A medical examiner in Seattle has ruled four deaths in a fire on Saturday morning as a murder-suicide.
Police responded to a call about a possible shooting in the city’s Wallingford neighborhood after an 11-year-old child escaped and called for help, as CrimeOnline reported. When they arrived, however, they found the house engulfed in flames and the door barricaded.
Firefighters took about 45 minutes to knock the flames down and found two adults and two children dead inside.
The King County Medical Examiner identified Salvatore Ragusa, 48, on Tuesday and said he died of smoke inhalation of toxic chemicals, KIRO reported. His death was ruled a suicide.
On Wednesday, the medical examiner identified the other three victims. Four-month-old Valentina Ragusa died of smoke inhalation, 7-year-old Sebastino Ragusa died of asphyxiation, and 40-year-old Lana Stewart died from “multiple sharp force injuries.”
A dog was also found dead.
The King County Proseutor’s Office said that Ragusa had been previously charged with arson enhanced with domestic violence in April 2019 and given a $75,000 bond. Two weeks later, he pleaded not guilty and was released with home monitoring after posting bond.
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In October, he was screened and sent to Mental Health Court after the victim requested it. He eventually pleaded guilty to reckless burning and malicious mischief, both with domestic violence enhancements, and was sentenced to 364 days in jail for each charge. He was given credit for 262 days served on the reckless burning charge with the rest suspended, and the entire 364 day sentence was suspended on the malicious mischief charge.
He was also sentenced to 24 months supervision with mental health condition and ordered to surrender any weapons. The case was closed on February 22, 2022, after Ragusa’s mental health provider told the court he had been in full compliance.
Investigators are still working to determine how Saturday’s fire started.
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[Featured image: Seattle Fire Department/John Odegard]
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