The abandoned Ohio home where 13-year-old Kei’Mani Latigue’s body was discovered last month has caught fire in what authorities suspect was an arson attack.
The blaze erupted early Saturday morning, April 19, at the property in Toledo — exactly one month after Latigue was found brutally murdered there following her disappearance in March. According to the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department, the cause of the fire is believed to be arson, though an official determination is still pending investigation.
Footage obtained by 13 Action News showed flames tearing through the structure, with thick black smoke pouring from the collapsed roof. Firefighters could be seen battling the inferno from the ground.
Despite the destruction, city officials confirmed that the memorial set up to honor Kei’Mani outside the home was untouched by the flames and would remain preserved throughout the site’s eventual demolition.
“We know this is an emotional moment for many, and we are grateful for the care this community has shown in honoring Kei’Mani,” a spokesperson for the City of Toledo told 13 Action News.
The fire occurred just one day after Darnell Jones, 33, made his first court appearance in connection with his daughter’s killing. Latigue was reported missing on March 18 and found dead days later on March 24. Jones was arrested on March 23 on suspicion of abduction, and a murder warrant was issued after her body was discovered.
In newly filed court documents released on April 18, Toledo Police allege that Jones admitted to killing his daughter at the very same Miami Street home that later went up in flames. The filings claim Jones confessed to inflicting the fatal wound and dragging her to the vacant residence, where the murder occurred.
Investigators had already linked Jones to the crime using surveillance footage, phone data, and witness accounts.
The Lucas County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Latigue died from multiple sharp-force injuries to the neck. According to law enforcement officials, the young girl was nearly decapitated, sexually assaulted, and had her hands severed.
Jones now faces charges of murder, abduction, and felonious assault. He is expected back in court on Monday, April 21.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the fire is connected to the ongoing investigation into Latigue’s death.