HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — After a house fire in Henrico County killed two people, police have charged a man who they say lived in the home with second-degree murder.
Elton Thompson, 35, was in the custody of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina after having been charged with breaking and entering into a commercial business.
Detectives with the Henrico County Police Division went to interview Thompson about the fire and charged him with second-degree murder and grand larceny of a vehicle in connection to the incident.
According to Henrico County Police, fire crews were called to a house on the 1800 block of Elkridge Lane at around 2:21 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15 for a report of a fire.
Nearby resident Josh Blowe said he saw the Thompson family’s house go up in flames.
“It’s still shocking. It’s still shocking,” he said. “I looked out the window and I saw flames coming out of the house.”
Blowe says he knew the family and even shared cooking recipes with Elton Thompson.
“I just never thought it would happen. I never thought it would happen with him,” Blowe said. “Ain’t too much I can say about that.”
Three people were inside the home at the time of the fire. 61-year-old Gail Katrina Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene and 89-year-old Florence C. Thomson was pronounced dead at a hospital. The third person was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
“Our family took care of their family, their family took care of our family … like a little village,” Blowe said. “The neighborhood lost some good people.”
Henrico County Police Division said the investigation remains ongoing.
