FATAL FIRE IN PLACERVILLE

Original release March 07, 2014

At approximately 5:48 this morning a residence on the 1600 Block of Rose Lane, Placerville was reported to be on fire. El Dorado County Fire responded to the location and put out the fire. Two unidentified adult females were found deceased in the residence. The residence was mostly destroyed by the fire.

Arson investigators responded to the scene along with Coroner and Sheriff’s Office investigative personnel. An investigation is currently being conducted to determine the cause of the fire and the cause of the victims deaths.

At this time the victims have not been identified.

UPDATE: 03/08/14 A victim of the fatal fire has been identified as 62 year old Carol Hague, a resident of the house destroyed in the fire. Investigators are still working on positively identifying the other victim that firefighters found in the residence. Investigators are expecting it to be a few days before this can be accomplished.The cause of their deaths and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

UPDATE: 03/10/14 The El Dorado County Coroner’s Office has identified the second victim of the fatal residential fire that occurred on Friday March 7, 2014 as 58 year old Crystal Ann Ward.

The cause of the two victims deaths has been determined as gunshot wounds however the manner in which they received those gunshot wounds is still under investigation.

UPDATE 04/24/14: After a thorough investigation, Sheriff John D’Agostini’s investigations section has determined that the decedents in the Rose Lane fire incident were the result of a murder suicide. It has been determined that homeowner Crystal Ward shot roommate Carolyn Hague and set the house ablaze with the use of flammable liquids, before turning the weapon on herself, committing suicide.