Court docs: 66-year-old DC man's body buried under household debris

WASHINGTON - New information has been released following an investigation into a D.C. man's death. Last Thursday Awlachew Ayele, 66, of Northeast D.C. was found dead following a fire inside his apartment.

D.C. Fire and EMS ruled the blaze was intentionally set, and now a court affidavit says the man was found buried under household debris and there was evidence of what appeared to be an assault.

The landlord showed FOX 5 Ayele's apartment on Queen Street Northeast and we noticed a message written on the wall of the living room. Underneath the scribble, it says "YOU GOING DOWN AYELE." Now we've learned from the court affidavit that they found blood on Ayele and blood on his porch. The door to the apartment was wide open and investigators found four cell phones inside. The landlord says Ayele did not own a cell phone.

The affidavit also says when firefighters entered the apartment they found the gas stove top burner controls in the on position and when they discovered Ayale's body there was blood coming from his mouth.

The owner of the building tells Fox 5 the day before the fire took place he took Ayele to see police at the Narcotics division because Ayele was complaining drug dealers had taken over his apartment. However, the very next day, the 66-year-old man was dead along with his dog.

The search warrant filed in the case says police found multiple lighters in addition to the four cell phones.

So far the medical examiner has not ruled on a cause and manner of death but in the affidavit which was written by a homicide investigator police were looking for weapons that may have caused his death.