UPDATE MONDAY: The suspect in the death of 17-year-old Jessica Scholl Friday morning apparently has been arrested in Oklahoma City, Ok., the Renton Police Department announced Monday afternoon. Renton Police were notified at 1:30 p.m. Monday by Oklahoma City Police of the arrest of a man whom Oklahoma City Police believe to be Jarod Lane, 19, of Renton. Lane was spotted n Oklahoma City Monday afternoon and arrested, according to Renton Police Det. Robert Onishi.
A 17-year-old girl, a junior at nearby Lindbergh High School, died in her home damaged by fire this morning, the victim of a possible homicide.
A person of interest in the homicide should be considered “armed and dangerous,” according to the Renton Police Department.
Her name was not immediately released; she was alone at the home with the family dog when the fire started. Her family returned after notified by authorities.
The fire at the two-story home at 127th Place Southeast and Southeast 164th Street in Renton is a possible arson, according to investigators. It was reported at just before 8 a.m. and was extinguished in under 10 minutes by fire crews.
The girl was found on the second floor; firefighters attempted CPR. The dog was rescued.
“Based on her injuries, they (investigators) suspect this is a homicide,” said Terri Vickers, a spokeswoman for the Renton Police Department. She wouldn’t provide further details about the injuries.
Renton Police want to talk with her former boyfriend, whom Vickers described as a person of interest in the girl’s death and the suspected arson.
The former boyfriend, Jarod T. Lane, 19, is described as a white male with a dark complexion, 5-foot-9, 152 pounds, with brown eyes and brown or black hair.
Investigators know he purchased gasoline in North Bend Friday morning and was believed to be headed east on Interstate 90.
Lane may be driving a green, 2001 Mazda Protégé, Washington license 077YRD. He’s believed to live in Renton, said Vickers.
Police are asking for the public’s help in locating him or calling 911 if he’s seen. Anyone with information about the possible homicide and arson is asked to called the Renton Police Department at 425-430-7500.
Deputy Fire Chief Wallgren described the fire as a “contents fire.”Renton police and fire investigators, the city’s arson-investigation team and the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab were on the scene. The King County medical examiner will determine the girl’s cause of death and whether it was a homicide.
This is this the first fatal house fire in Renton in recent years.
Lindbergh High School was in session Friday and counselors were at the school.
Grief counselors and district officials were at Lindbergh today comforting the many students and staff who knew the victim.
Students were allowed to go home for the day if they needed to and a handful chose to do just that.
“They are heart-broken and appalled at the same time,” said Randy Matheson, district spokesperson of the mood at the school. But, he also said many students wanted to stay in school and try and focus on school.
The school had a closed campus for lunch, so students were not allowed to leave the campus. That decision was made to keep them sheltered from the police scene that was unfolding at the house, which is just at the end of one of the school driveways, said Matheson.
It was also done to keep them from having to encounter the media that had shown up at campus, he said.
“We’re trying to help keep them focused and away from this as much as possible through the school day,” Matheson said.
Few students stopped by the police lines after school on Friday.
A letter is being sent home with students to their families explaining as much as the district knows about the situation.
Calls also went out to parents updating them on the incident and informing them that the school was not on lockdown and was operating on the regular schedule.
Shayla Foster, an acquaintance of the girl, was at the scene.
“She was always laughing,” she said. “She’s a good girl.”
Reporter Tracey Compton contributed to this report.
