HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Deputies with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death of someone whose body was found inside a home that caught fire in Hawthorne.
According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies and Putnam County Fire Rescue responded Sunday morning to a fire at a home on Cottonwood Drive. Upon entry, they discovered a body of an adult.
The state fire marshal was called to investigate the cause of the fire and the body was sent for an autopsy. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. The fire marshal found evidence of arson.
The Sheriff’s Office said it’s looking for a silver 2008 Saturn Sky (pictured in this story) that was said to belong to a 69-year-old resident, Louis Stackhouse, who was living at the location of the fire. Stackhouse was not identified as a suspect, but the Sheriff’s Office hopes to locate Stackhouse and the car. The car contains Florida tag 409 9YT.
“I will tell you that nothing has been ruled out,” Col. Joe Wells, with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, said of the investigation. “So, we are trying to ascertain the identity of the person we found, whether that is the resident of the home or not. We are looking into the resident of the home and to all his acquaintances and all of his associations.”
The homeowner’s car, which was captured on surveillance video, is the biggest target of this investigation. “We believe that may be a big key to this case. Who has that vehicle and where is it,” Wells said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact deputies at 386-329-0800.