WASHINGTON — It was thought at the time to be an accident but now, more than 33 years later, police are treating the deaths of a man and a woman in a D.C. house fire as a double homicide.
Just before 4 a.m. on Jan. 11, 1985, D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services were called to the unit block of Quincy Place, Northwest, following reports of a house fire.
While extinguishing the blaze, firefighters discovered a man who was suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was taken to a local hospital.
A woman was also found inside the house with no signs consistent with life.
The female victim was identified as 42-year-old Bessie Mae Duncan; the male victim, as 40-year old Roy Picott, both of Northwest D.C.
An autopsy later determined the woman’s cause of death was asphyxia by smoke inhalation. The manner of death was ruled accidental. On March 5 of that year, the man, who was badly burned in the fire, died from his injuries. The manner of death was also ruled accidental.
But the D.C. police announced Monday that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has amended the manner of death for both victims to homicide.
The police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information can be submitted to the department’s text tip line by sending a text message to 50411.
