Fatal southeast Columbus apartment fire ruled homicide, man arrested

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COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — An apartment fire in southeast Columbus on June 27 that took the life of a woman has been ruled a homicide and has resulted in a man’s arrest.

Columbus police on Wednesday announced that a 46-year-old man has been arrested and charged with aggravated arson and could face a murder charge after investigators allege a fatal fire was intentionally set.

On June 27 at 10:38 a.m. Columbus police officers and Columbus firefighters were called to the 2000 block of Winslow Drive on reports of an apartment fire. The body of a woman, identified by police as 53-year-old Edith Saintilus, was found in the apartment after the fire was extinguished. She was pronounced dead at 10:50 a.m.

Police said arson investigators concluded the fire was intentionally set after noticing a number of circumstances that led them to believe the death was suspicious. With fire and police investigating, 46-year-old Salvador “Jimmy” Dumond was identified as the suspect. Investigators determined Dumond allegedly set the fire on purpose.

On Tuesday, the Franklin County coroner’s office ruled Saintilus’ death as a homicide, which led to the arrest of Dumond. He was issued a $750,000 bond and is being held in Franklin County jail while awaiting a preliminary hearing on July 12.

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