Elderly Woman Slain Before Her Home Burning

 Posted on November 30,2012 in Criminal Defense

Investigations regarding the death of an 89-year-old Crest Hill woman continue, as police suspect the woman was slain before her home was torched. The case is being looked into as a homicide after an autopsy, according to police. The story was reported by the Chicago Tribune.

Dorothy Dumyahn, 89, was found dead in her burning home on November 18. Crest Hill Deputy Police Chief Ed Clark said police are investigating the case as homicide based on an autopsy report from Nov. 19. According to Clark, the fire was set deliberately, and it was an attempt to cover up the murder.

Dumyahn’s one-story home on Caton Farm Road burned well enough for people to smell the ashes days later. With the windows and doors boarded up and piles of debris at the site, the burned down building is a sad reminder of what happened there.

According to Dumyahn’s neighbor, she was a nice old lady.

Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Paul Hertzmann said there was heavy smoke coming from the building when firefighters got to the scene. Crews found the 89-year-old Dumyahn inside and brought her out of the fire, but they were not able to resuscicate, according to Hertzmann.

The fire itself was put out in about thirty minutes.

Both arson and murder are extremely serious charges. If you or a loved one are facing criminal charges of any kind, your best choice is to find a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney in your area. For an experienced criminal defense attorney in Illinois, contact our law offices.