Reward Raised in Fresno (CA) House Fire that Killed Boy

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Joshua Teehee

The Fresno Bee

(MCT)

A 7-year-old boy was killed last week in a house fire that Fresno police say was intentionally set.

Isaac Vallejo was unable to escape the home as flames exploded at both the front and back of the home, near College and McKenzie avenues in Fresno on July 6.

The Fresno Police Department has been investigating the fire as a homicide and on Friday announced an increase in reward money for anyone with information that leads to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the suspect or suspects.

Chief Paco Balderrama said he personally asked Valley Crime Stoppers to up the amount of reward money being offered. The organization is now offering $10,000. Another additional $2,500 was added by the owner of the home that burned.

“This is something that is obviously very bothersome to me as a police chief,” Balderrama said during a news conference Friday.

“It should be bothersome for every one in the community.”

So far, police have not announced any leads on suspects, only that they believe the fire was started by someone who poured an accelerate at both front and back doors of the home.

Five other people were in the house with Isaac: three adults and two teenagers. One of the teens, a 13-year-old, jumped from a second-story window to escape. The others got out of the house safely.

Fire investigations are outside the department’s typical realm of expertise, Balderrama said. The department is working with fire marshals to process evidence.

It’s something that they’ve gotten used to this year.

This is the third time a child has been victim of an intentionally set fire this year. In May, two children, a 5-month-old and an 18-month-old, died in a fire in west Fresno. A 29-year-old man was arrested in that case.

Balderrama believes someone in the community knows something that will help solve the case and hopes they will come forward.

“It’s something we can’t stand for.”

At a vigil for Isaac last week, his family called for the community’s help in apprehending those responsible for the fire.

“I am please asking for our community to come forward with any information that they know, that they think they may know, so we can get justice for my nephew Isaac,” Issac’s aunt said.

A pair of GoFundMe accounts have been set up to help the family with funeral and other expenses.

Anyone with information on the fire can call Valley Crime Stoppers at 559-489-STOP.

©2022 The Fresno Bee. Visit fresnobee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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