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Anthony, NM arson fatals?
ANTHONY, N.M. (AP) - A woman and her son were killed in a house
fire allegedly set by the woman's live-in boyfriend after she
locked him out of the home, an investigator said.
Socorro Lujan, 48, and her 19-year-old son, Marcelo Lujan
Gabaldon, died of smoke inhalation while still inside the home.
Jorge Zarazua Esquivel, 49, was found in the front yard of the home
by Dona Ana County sheriff's deputies with burns over 98 percent of
his body. He was airlifted to a burn center at Texas Tech
University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas.
Sheriff's investigator Robyn Gojkovich said the house was found
ablaze at 3 a.m Sunday.
Esquivel intentionally set the fire outside of the home with an
unknown flammable liquid after Lujan told him to leave and locked
him out of the house, investigators said. The deadbolts on the
doors were locked and the windows in Lujan's car had been broken,
Grojkovich said.
Samples taken from the structure were to be tested at a state
laboratory in Las Cruces to determine the cause of the fire.
Investigators are not sure if Esquivel was accidentally burned
or if he set fire to himself, she said.
Esquivel was listed in critical condition Monday afternoon, said
Gojkovich. If he survives, his case will be sent to the district
attorney's office.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
fire allegedly set by the woman's live-in boyfriend after she
locked him out of the home, an investigator said.
Socorro Lujan, 48, and her 19-year-old son, Marcelo Lujan
Gabaldon, died of smoke inhalation while still inside the home.
Jorge Zarazua Esquivel, 49, was found in the front yard of the home
by Dona Ana County sheriff's deputies with burns over 98 percent of
his body. He was airlifted to a burn center at Texas Tech
University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas.
Sheriff's investigator Robyn Gojkovich said the house was found
ablaze at 3 a.m Sunday.
Esquivel intentionally set the fire outside of the home with an
unknown flammable liquid after Lujan told him to leave and locked
him out of the house, investigators said. The deadbolts on the
doors were locked and the windows in Lujan's car had been broken,
Grojkovich said.
Samples taken from the structure were to be tested at a state
laboratory in Las Cruces to determine the cause of the fire.
Investigators are not sure if Esquivel was accidentally burned
or if he set fire to himself, she said.
Esquivel was listed in critical condition Monday afternoon, said
Gojkovich. If he survives, his case will be sent to the district
attorney's office.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)