Fire death ruled a homicide
By Kevin Kelley
Fairview Park
Published Oct. 24, 2007

The death of 67-year-old Gwendolyn Bewley, found dead following an Aug. 29 fire at her West 220th Street home, has been ruled a homicide.

Cuyahoga County Coroner Frank Miller determined that Bewley died from homicidal violence of an undetermined type.

The fire was set near the body to conceal her violent death, Miller told West Life Tuesday.

Miller does not believe that she was alive at the time of the fire, as she did not inhale any smoke.

“There was no soot in the airway, no carbon monoxide in her blood,” Miller said.

The state fire marshal’s office announced Monday that the fire was arson. The investigation is ongoing, the fire marshal’s office said. The Fairview Park fire and police departments and the Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office are assisting.

The fire was reported at 4:48 p.m., and the first units arrived on the scene four minutes later, Fairview Park Fire Chief David Simon said last month. The fire started in the kitchen, he said.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the state fire marshal’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Bureau at 1-800-589-2728 or the Fairview Park Police Department at (440) 356-4415.