The Howard County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for a homeless man who remains as a suspect in an investigation of a residential fire that resulted in a death.
On Dec. 25, around 12:30 p.m., the Howard County 911 Dispatch Center received reports of a residential fire in the 3000 Block East on County Road 300 South. The caller allegedly reported that smoke was emanating from the home, but the caller was unsure whether a resident remained inside. Fire apparatuses from the Harrison Volunteer Fire Department, Howard County Emergency Management Agency and the Taylor Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to the scene.
Within 12 minutes of the report, crew members from Kokomo Fire Department’s Engine 2 reportedly arrived on the scene and located a subject within the residence as they extinguished the fire, police say. The subject was removed from the area and was pronounced deceased by medics from the Community Howard Regional Hospital on the scene. An autopsy has reportedly been scheduled by the Howard County Coroner’s Office.
Due to the case being an active investigation, no further details regarding the victim have been released pending a positive identification and notification of the family.
However, the Howard County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for Curtis L. Freeman, 44, as law enforcement has named him as a person of interest in the investigation. Freeman is reportedly homeless, and the Sheriff’s Office has encouraged community members to contact Detective Shirley at 765-614-3449 or the Howard County Dispatch Center at 765-457-1105 with any information regarding his whereabouts. Community members may also submit a tip through the Howard County Sheriff’s Office mobile app or at sheriff.howardcountyin.gov.
The Howard County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on the scene of the fire by members of Community Howard Regional Hospital, the Harrison Volunteer Fire Department, the Howard County Emergency Management Agency, the Howard County Coroner’s Office, Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, Indiana State Police, the Kokomo Fire Department, the Sharpsville Volunteer Fire Department and the Taylor Volunteer Fire Department.