WASHINGTON – The deaths of a man and a toddler, whose bodies were found inside a burning house in Fairfax on Wednesday, are being investigated as a murder-suicide, police said.
Fairfax County Police identified the man Thursday afternoon as 58-year-old Roy Eugene Rumsey, the apparent owner of the home. The toddler has still not yet been identified.
Autopsies are expected to positively reveal how the pair died.
Don Gotthardt, a Fairfax County police officer, said neighbors told police they’d only seen an adult male at the home before. “So they were surprised to learn there was a toddler in the house as well,” he said.
Police have not yet determined the relationship between Rumsey and the toddler.
Firefighters were called to a home in the 12100 block of Fairfax Hunt Road, west of Fairfax City, about 11 a.m. for the report of the house fire. Fire crews discovered the two bodies in the home while battling the blaze, police said.
Police believe the incident was domestic and that there’s no wider threat to the public.
“We’re not looking for any suspects,” Gotthard said. “We believe the event was contained within the home.”
Photos tweeted by police and Fairfax Fire and Rescue show significant damage to the roof of an attached garage.
Sully Police District-Update to House Fire Leads to Death Investigation https://t.co/BQDi8jskOs pic.twitter.com/djnmOug6hY
— Fairfax Co. Police (@fairfaxpolice) July 28, 2016
FFs have knocked down fire. PIO on scene. Staging Fairfax Hunt Rd & Crupper Place pic.twitter.com/MLTeV4eCiu — Fairfax Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) July 27, 2016
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS(8477) or visit www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org. Text a tips to “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).
WTOP’s Kristi King contributed to this report.
