Somerset police identify fatal burn victim

No foul play is suspected in the death of a 31-year-old Somerset County woman whose body was found near a fire Saturday in Somerset Borough, police said Tuesday.

Police Chief Randy Cox said authorities were able to identify the victim, Desiree Fleegle, who resided in Somerset and Central City, through a thumb print obtained from the body during an autopsy Monday.

The investigation began Saturday after police were called to a field fire where a body was discovered in the area of Mussleman Avenue. Musslemann Avenue runs from the 500 block of East Main Street to Slickerman Road in an undeveloped area of the borough that runs parallel to the CSX railroad tracks.

Cox said he expects the official nature and cause of death to be released by Somerset County Coroner Wallace Miller will be accidental due to internal thermal injuries and smoke inhalation.

Cox said investigators found Fleegle became engulfed in a fire she had started in a large pile of discarded utility poles. Cox said no other people were involved in her death or the fire.

He said the investigation relied on available video footage in the surrounding area and interviews of Fleegle’s friends and family. Cox said Fleegle told someone she intended to camp out in the area.

Police obtained video footage of Fleegle purchasing kerosene at a nearby convenience store within an hour of when smoke from the fire was first visible on another establishment’s video.

Borough police were assisted by the Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Services unit, the Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal and a fire inspector from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.