Daniel Steele dies in fatal Washington Township house fire

Daniel Steele dies in fatal Washington Township house fire

Fatal Washington Township house fire death of Daniel Steele – Obituary

A house fire in Washington Township, New Jersey, that broke out early Sunday morning is now being treated as a murder-suicide, according to information from the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office. Two individuals were found dead inside the home on Tranquility Court after flames engulfed the structure shortly after 2 a.m.

Authorities identified the deceased as 59-year-old Daniel Steele and 45-year-old Michelle Whiting. Investigators discovered Steele’s body in the living room with a handgun nearby, and the medical examiner concluded that he died by suicide caused by the fire. Whiting, meanwhile, was found in a bedroom with a fatal gunshot wound to the head, and her death has been classified as a homicide.

Further investigation revealed the presence of an accelerant and signs of tampering with the home’s gas line, which had been manipulated to allow gas to leak inside prior to the fire.

The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office is working alongside Washington Township police and the county Fire Marshal’s Office to determine the full circumstances of the incident. Authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact Detective Allen Williams at 856-384-5622 or Detective Matthew Laudenslager at 856-589-0330 ext. 1176.