Lawyers for families of three Balitmore firefighters killed in a fire last year believe a person linked to the case was indicted on burglary charges last week.
James Barnett, 54, was indicted for a series of burglaries in a neighborhood just blocks away from Stricker Street where the firefighters died, WBFF reported.
Hours before the deadly row house fire in January 2022, video showed a man wearing a yellow and blue coat trying to get into at least three vacant houses. The footage was shared in hopes that someone could identify him. That happened, officials say.
Barnett is accused of breaking into 1937 Ramsay St. and taking several items. Less than five hours later, the Stricker Street fire was reported.
For Firefighters Paul Bultrim, Kelsey Sadler and Kenny Lacayo, it would be their final alarm.
The Baltimore city state's attorney's office maintains: “The Stricker Street fire investigation is ongoing, and we cannot comment on open investigations."
However, lawyers believe there's a connection as the state's attorney's office notified the families and them of the indictment.
“This indictment is one step in the criminal judicial process and part of an ongoing investigation into all of the events that occurred on January 24, 2022...From the information that has been shared with us by the States Attorney’s office, along with the information we have gathered from the various agency investigations, including videos and detailed timelines of events, we believe based on the totality of the evidence that this individual is more than likely the same person," Miller Stern Lawyers said in a statement to the media.
"At the end of the day, there needs to be accountability for this horrific tragic and deadly fire that occurred at 205 South Stricker street, and we will not stop until that day comes."
The ATF, which assisted with the investigation, said while the person they were seeking has been identified, they wouldn't release the name because they have not been charged.
