Man found deceased in house fire identified as resident, cause of death still pending

Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: The Graham County Sheriff’s Office reported a positive identification was made regarding a man who died in a house fire south of Safford on Sunday.

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

GRAHAM COUNTY – A man who was found deceased in a house fire south of Safford Sunday morning has been positively identified as the home’s resident.

According to the Graham County Sheriff’s Office, the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner positively identified the victim as Jonathan R. Montoux, 55, and that his next of kin has been notified.

According to Fire Chief Bingham, the volunteer Safford Fire Department was dispatched at about 6:18 a.m. to a house fire at 7852 S. U.S. Highway 191, which is just north of Highway 366 (Swift Trail).

An off-duty officer was first on the scene and came upon a fully engulfed dual-story structure that contained a basement.

The Safford Fire Department managed to keep the blaze to the single structure, but – with the assistance of the Thatcher Fire Department – discovered the deceased male occupant in the home’s basement.

According to Bingham, the house was completely burned and nothing was left to show the point of origin or how the fire started. However, he said it appeared to have started in the basement where Montoux was located.

Graham County Undersheriff Jeff McCormies told the Gila Herald that the medical examiner is still working on finding the cause of death.