A woman who was found dead in a burning apartment was fatally shot before her boyfriend set the fire, police in Maryland said Monday.
Prince George's County police responded to an apartment in Chillum on Friday night and discovered smoke coming from the second floor and the body of Zena Nichols, 23, inside, police said in a statement.
Autopsy results showed Nichols suffered multiple gunshot wounds prior to sustaining severe burns in the blaze, officials said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities are searching for Jerome John Harris, 42, and obtained an arrest warrant on charges of first- and second-degree murder as well as arson, police said Monday.
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Investigators identified Harris as Nichols' boyfriend and said the two lived together. Police did not say where they think he could be.
A reward of up to $25,000 was offered for information leading to Harris' arrest and indictment, the statement said.
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Authorities continued to investigate.
