Woman found dead in burning home

BALTIMORE (WMAR) - Homicide detectives respond to a fatal fire.  For neighbors, it makes the sad news so much worse.

"It's just really, really emotional right now to me because I'm not going to see her leaving out and going in the house," said Muriel Fisher, who lives across the street. 

Around 2:30, flames were pouring out of the home on Highgate Dr. in Northwest Baltimore.  Firefighters attacked the first and second floors.

"Other firefighters went into the basement to assess fire conditions in the basement when they found an unconscious, non-responsive woman," said Chief PIO Kevin Cartwright, Baltimore City Fire Dept.    

Cartwright says it looked like the woman suffered from burns.  The Medical Examiner transported the body for an autopsy.

Neighbors say they got suspicious when her car was not where she typically parks it.

"She never parked in the back, ever.  Her car is always parked out front," said Brenette Campbell, a neighbor.    

But on Friday it was out back.  Another neighbor says he saw someone else inside the car and it was gone when the home went up in flames.

"You could see the flames engulfing from the roof and out the side of the windows," said Fisher.   

The victim's white Mustang is still nowhere in sight, as police tactical units went inside.  The woman, who neighbors say is in her 30's, kept quiet.  But they say there's a mother, who is learning the news that her daughter died in the home she bought just a few months ago.

"It's heartbreaking to know that a neighbor who just bought a house that she's dead.  So it's very sad, it's very sad," 

Police have not identified the victim.  They are awaiting autopsy results to determine how she died.