House burns down day after man shot, killed

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Authorities investigating a house fire Sunday morning on the east side of Indianapolis were unable to confirm any link to a deadly shooting Saturday morning at the same house.

No injuries were reported in connection with the fire at 4019 Richelieu Road, near East 42nd Street and Post Road, investigators said.

Firefighters were dispatched to the burning house around 3:30 a.m. and remained on scene for nearly two hours.

Officials promptly declared the blaze “suspicious” and confirmed they had launched a criminal investigation into the fire.

An arson investigator was seen leading a dog through the charred remains of the house around 6:30 a.m.

Fire and police officials declined to comment on possible evidence collected from the scene.

Kenya Malone, a woman who identified herself as the homeowner, told News 8 she was “devastated” by the loss of her home.

“I was out of town and just got back,” Malone said. “I wasn’t staying here but this has been my house since 2006. I had so many memories here.”

Although the garage and its contents remained intact, flames, smoke and water had reduced the rest of the house to little more than scorched beams.

Malone said she wasn’t aware of how the fire started or how the incident could be connected to the ongoing homicide investigation.

A man, later identified as 27-year-old Billy Scott, was shot Saturday around 1 a.m. at 4019 Richelieu Road and died at an area hospital, investigators said. 

The shooting was initially described by police as an “isolated incident.”

No motive or suspect information was available Sunday afternoon in connection with the fire.