Official: Murder-suicide a possibility in Ohio house fatal blast

NORTHFIELD, Ohio (AP) — A medical examiner in Ohio says murder-suicide is one of the possibilities being looked at in a house explosion and fire that killed a husband and wife and their two daughters.

The Summit County medical examiner’s chief investigator said today that it could take weeks to make a ruling.

The state fire marshal’s office said Wednesday that investigators determined it was arson that caused the fire and explosion that shook homes throughout the neighborhood southeast of Cleveland.

Authorities say Jeffrey and Cynthia Mather were killed, along with their daughters, 8-year-old Ruthie Mather and 12-year-old Alyson Mather.

The state fire marshal’s office says they know what caused the fire, but they aren’t releasing details while the investigation is ongoing.

Investigators say they’ve ruled out a natural-gas leak.