Suspect Arrested In Deadly Santa Clara Duplex Fire

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Suspect Arrested In Deadly Santa Clara Duplex Fire

(CBS 5 / AP / BCN) SANTA CLARA

A Santa Clara man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder and other charges in connection with a deadly fire at a duplex Monday, police said.

Marco Berrios, 39, was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on charges of suspicion of murder, suspicion of continued sexual abuse of a child and a probation violation, according to police.

Berrios lived in the fire-damaged duplex at 4630 Snead Drive with his wife, Victoria Rojas, and her 9-year-old daughter.

The 9-year-old girl reported the fire to authorities and was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. The girl had told police that her mother and stepfather were still inside the burning duplex.

Firefighters later located the charred body of an adult inside. Authorities have not yet identified the person killed in the fire because the body was badly burned, but family members believe the victim is Rojas.

Berrios, believed to be the stepfather mentioned by the girl, was not home at the time of the blaze, according to police.

Meantime, Santa Clara police officer Mike Garcia was credited with getting a family of three out of the duplex's back unit.

Garcia knocked on a bedroom window, while avoiding flames, and made contact with a man who assisted in the rescue of two additional family members from the back unit of the duplex, including an infant, fire officials said.

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How fires get their names

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Tuesday, March 20, 2007