Here's an update from the Summer Ohio University Post published this week:
Police seek 'person of interest' in April Ohio State fire
by Laura Arenschield
For The Summer Post
laura.arenshield@ohiou.edu
Columbus police last week released a description of a man they think could provide information to solve April's arson near Ohio State University that killed five students, three of whom went to Ohio University.
But despite receiving what the office is calling a "good amount of tips," detectives still are no closer to solving the case.
Early in the Columbus police's investigation of the arson that burned down the house of an OSU student celebrating his 21st birthday on April 13, police found a fight had occurred over a refrigerator at the East 17th Street house. The individuals involved in the fight have been cleared.
The man Columbus police are looking for allegedly was involved in a separate altercation outside the house. Police spokesperson Sherry Mercurio said investigators do not know what the dispute was about.
"We've talked to hundreds of people about this investigation but we haven't talked to him," she said.
Police described the man as 20 years old, white, 5-foot 11-inches and weighing about 200 pounds. He has medium-length shaggy blonde hair and, the night of the fire was wearing a blue-black jean jacket with a "Snoop Dogg" logo on it with the letters "SDC" printed underneath.
Police think this person might have returned later that evening and set the fatal fire. Police also think he might have attempted a theft near the house the same night.
"It's our understanding that this particular person was involved in the altercation and later returned at the time of the fire," Mercurio said. "We don't know that he's a suspect. He's just a person we haven't talked to yet, so we're labeling him a 'person of interest.'"
The fire killed OU sophomores Erin M. DeMarco, 19, of suburban Canton; Andrea K. Dennis, 20, of Madeira; and Christine M. Wilson, 19, of Dublin. The women all were members of OU's chapter of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and had been in Columbus to celebrate the 21st birthday of one of the other people killed in the blaze.
The fire started at 4:05 a.m. April 13 near the front door of a house on East 17th Street in Columbus. Police are treating the five deaths as homicides after ruling the fire an arson April 15.
Columbus Police Department's homicide unit was reluctant to provide additional information about the case.
"Because of the crime, and the political nature of it, we're going to be very tight-lipped as to what we release," said Dave Harp, Columbus police department homicide detective.
Columbus police are asking anyone with information about the arson to call the Columbus Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Crime Stoppers, an anonymous tip line, at 614-645-TIPS (8477). An award of $34,000 is available to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest or conviction.