Man and woman found in burned DC home were beaten, strangled, Medical Examiner says

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Washington, D.C, Office of the Medical Examiner says two people were beaten and strangled before their bodies were found in a burned District home.

Spokeswoman Cheryle E. Adams tells news outlets that 60-year-old Michael Burgess and 50-year-old Regina Bowman died of blunt force trauma to their heads and suffocation due to neck compression.

D.C. police Chief Peter Newsham said Monday that Burgess was a longtime civilian member of the D.C. police department who retired in 2006.

Burgess' daughter shared a photo of her father with FOX 5.

The fire was discovered when six firefighters were called to battle a blaze inside a home just across the way on D Street Southeast. It was there that fire crews found that a fire had broken out at the home at 3354 Ely Place.

Both fires have been called suspicious and investigators are now trying to determine if they may be connected.

D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham says police don't yet have a suspect in the case.