Homicide ruled in death of woman killed in Crest Hill fire
By Brian Stanley Bstanley@stmedianetwork.com November 19, 2012 1:56PM
Lockport Township firemen check for hot spots at the scene of a fatal fire at 2309 Caton Farm Road Sunday morning, | John Patsch~For Sun-Times Media
Updated: December 21, 2012 6:17AM
CREST HILL — Police say an 89-year-old woman was murdered before her house was set ablaze Sunday.
Chief Dwayne Wilkerson said an autopsy performed Monday by the Will County coroner’s office showed Dorothy Dumyahn was the victim of a homicide.
“This is a very active investigation and we are keeping some things under wraps,” Wilkerson said. “But it does appear she was killed and the fire was set to conceal” the crime.
Around 8:50 a.m. an off-duty Lockport Township firefighter was passing by in the 2300 block of Caton Farm Road when he saw the front of the ranch house in flames. Responding firefighters put out the blaze after about 15 minutes, but Dumyahn was already dead at the scene.
According to reports, the mother and grandmother had lived alone in the house since her husband, Clarence, died eight years ago.
“There are no indications this was a random attack. We don’t feel this incident is a concern for the neighborhood safety,” Wilkerson said.
The Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force, which consists of detectives and evidence technicians from nearly every police department in the area, is assisting Crest Hill police.
The scent of the fire remained strong in the neighborhood Monday afternoon as task force members searched through the structure behind yellow police tape.
Dumyahn’s son-in-law Monday evening said the family did not wish to make any comment.
Crest Hill Mayor Ray Soliman declined comment beyond saying police would work to find the killer.
“I am confident the police department will do their due diligence to find the person or persons responsible,” Soliman said.
