WEDNESDAY, MAY 23: A fire that swept through the home of a murder victim’s mother could have been started deliberately.
The blaze destroyed Roydelle Robinson’s upstairs bedroom and caused widespread damage to her property in Border Lane North in Pembroke.
Ms Robinson’s son, Randy, was shot dead on Border Lane on March 31, last year.
Two men, Jay Dill, 23, and Devon Hewey, 22, were charged with murdering the 22-year-old footballer earlier this month and have been remanded in custody.
The Bermuda Sun understands detectives are looking at lines of inquiry including the possibility that the fire and the murder could be linked.
Detectives want to speak to anyone who noticed any “suspicious activity” around the property in the hours leading up to the blaze.
Firefighters were called to the scene at 2:40am on Sunday.
Divisional Fire Officers Morris White said: “There were flames and smoke issuing from the upper floor of the property when we arrived at the scene.
“The serious fire damage was isolated to the one bedroom on the upper floor, but the rest of the house sustained heat and smoke damage.
“Two firefighters entered the building by breaking a window on the upper floor.
“They used water hoses to tackle the blaze, which was under control by 3am.
“Fortunately no one was at home at the time of the blaze and because the property is a detached cottage neighbours did not have to be evacuated.
“The occupant did return to the property while we were fighting the fire.”
Officer Morris confirmed that arson had not been ruled out as the cause of the fire and said that fire investigators would be examining the scene in order to establish how the blaze first started.
He added: “Personal items were salvageable from the property, although we had to pull some of the ceiling down in order to make the structure safe.
A police spokesman added: “Inquiries are ongoing into the cause of a Border Lane West, Pembroke residence fire during the early morning hours of Sunday, May 20th 2012.
“No one was injured during the incident, although the home suffered considerable damage as a result.
“Detectives are appealing for any witnesses, in particular anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity in the area between 8:45pm Saturday, May 19th and 2:30am Sunday, May 20th, or anyone with any information, to contact the Hamilton Criminal Investigation Unit on 247-1744.”