The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office has identified Brandon Johnson, 30, as the man whose remains were discovered in the debris of a burned Jefferson Township home, days after flames tore through the house and deputies launched a search tied to a missing-person case.
The fire broke out around 4 a.m. on Oct. 2 at a home in the 100 block of Calumet Lane, according to WHIO TV. What was initially reported as a porch fire had already spread through the windows, doors and roof by the time a sheriff’s deputy arrived, as reported by Dayton Daily News. The home was ultimately declared a total loss after its roof caved in, according to Dayton247Now.
Neighbor Brenda Haywood told WHIO she saw flames from her window and called 911 as the fire grew. Another person ran across the street to try to help, but the blaze spread too quickly for anyone to stop it, the station’s report notes.
Missing-Person Case Led Deputies Back to the Scene
Four days after the fire, on Oct. 6, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office deputies were investigating a missing person from Jefferson Township when the case led them back to the 100 block of Calumet Lane. The same account states that a third search of the debris — after two earlier searches by Jefferson Township firefighters — was requested as part of that missing-person investigation. That search, conducted Tuesday night, turned up a male body beneath the rubble.
The sheriff’s office confirmed that the man they had been searching for was Johnson, and that he had lived at the home that burned, per the same account. Human remains recovered from the debris were turned over to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office for further investigation, which identified Johnson on Oct. 20.
An earlier report from Firehouse.com had noted that positive identification had not yet been made at the time of its publication, reflecting how the case developed over several days before the coroner’s confirmation.
Fire Marshal’s Explosives Bureau Still Investigating
The State Fire Marshal confirmed that its Fire and Explosives Investigation Bureau responded to the scene and has an open investigation into the Oct. 2 fire, according to WHIO. The official cause of the fire has not been determined.
At the time human remains were first discovered, authorities had not said whether they suspected foul play, according to WHIO. News Center 7 has requested an update from the State Fire Marshal and says it plans to continue following the case as new details emerge.
