Woman found dead in Bloomington apartment fire may have been strangled

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — A woman found dead Thursday night inside an apartment building that caught fire may have been strangled, the Monroe County coroner said Monday.

The death of Teresa Michael, 32, has been ruled a homicide, said Coroner Joani Shields in an email to news media. The coroner noted that rumors and reports about Michael’s legs being cut off are false. Michael’s legs were not severed.

Bloomington Police Department Capt. Ryan Pedigo said last week that Bloomington Police Department officers and Bloomington Fire Department crews were called to the apartment building fire around 9:30 p.m. Thursday in the 500 block of South Basswood Drive. That’s on the city’s west side in the area of West Third Street and West Bloomfield Road.

Michael was found dead inside one of the apartments.

Investigators have not released the cause of the fire.

No other injuries were reported.