Fatal fire investigation concludes in McDonald County

A fatal fire investigation in McDonald County, Missouri, has wrapped up.

Sheriff Rob Evenson says they were called to a home at 710 Park Street in Anderson in the early morning hours of July 1st.

The Anderson Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire with the help of Pineville and Goodman Fire Departments.

During overhaul of the fire ground, the body of an adult female was located inside the structure. After the McDonald County Coroner took possession of the body, an autopsy was scheduled for later that day.

While personnel from the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office investigated cause of the fire, Detectives from the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office along with the Anderson Police Department investigated the cause of death.

The autopsy was conducted in Ozark, with a Trooper from the Investigation Division (DDCC) of the Missouri State Hwy Patrol in attendance.

After a thorough investigation, the preliminary findings indicate that 52-year-old Gena McCormick intentionally set the fire to the building where she was living, then fatally shot herself.

“We would like to express our condolences to the family of Ms. McCormick in this time of loss,” said Evenson.