Fire destroys Warren house where man killed in April

Staff report

WARREN

A “suspicious” fire Thursday night that destroyed a vacant house on South Street Southeast occurred at the same place where James R. Levels was shot to death in April.

Warren Fire Chief Ken Nussle said his department was called to 918 South St. at 10:57 p.m. and found the home fully engulfed in flames. All they could do was wage a defensive attack, he said.

The home was a complete loss, with damage listed at $22,000. Firefighters remained at the scene until 3:30 a.m.

The home is a danger in its present condition and needs to be torn down right away, Nussle said.

On April 7, 48-year-old Lisa Prater told a dispatcher over and over on a 911 call “We got shot, we got shot” after two males broke into the home and tried to rob her and Levels, 64, of Beal Street Northwest.

Levels was unresponsive when emergency personnel arrived.

Read more about the house and the murder case in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.