Over the next few hours the investigators determined that the fire did not start outside of the passenger compartment, but instead started in the front-seat area. During the investigation, the investigators ruled out any mechanical malfunction, including the fuel lines and fuel tank. Fire Marshal Investigators detected a strong odor, similar to gasoline, in and around the white 1993 Toyota Corolla. Fire Marshall’s determined that the fire originated in the passenger compartment of the white Toyota and believe that the fire was intentionally started using an accelerant. Due to these suspicious circumstances, the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division began to lead the investigation.
