WASHINGTON — A devastating house fire that claimed the lives of three people in Southeast D.C. has been confirmed as an act of arson. Authorities have arrested 53-year-old Robert Simpson in connection with the deadly blaze, charging him with felony murder and arson.
D.C. Fire and EMS responded to the fire near 23rd Street and Southern Avenue Southeast around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday. Firefighters found two people, 64-year-old Ronald McKinnon and 34-year-old Jessica Cunningham, dead on the second floor of the townhome. An 85-year-old woman, later identified as Margaret McKinnon, was rescued using a ladder and transported to the hospital in critical condition. She died from her injuries on Monday.
Loved ones say Ronald McKinnon was taking care of his mother who had dementia.
"They were good people," Ronald McKinnon's sister, Teresa, said. "Everybody in the neighborhood knew all of them. There's nothing to process right now because I got to be the strong person."
Investigators determined that the fire was intentionally set, and MPD Chief Pamela Smith confirmed the fire stemmed from a domestic violence incident involving Simpson, who had been in a romantic relationship with Cunningham and previously lived at the home.
"It's clearly a case of domestic violence with three people who lost their lives over a senseless inner personal conflict," Chief Smith said.
Disturbing details from the affidavit reveal a pattern of escalating violence in the days leading up to the fire. On Oct. 2, police were called to the house for a dispute between Cunningham and Simpson over relationship issues. Two days later, Ronald McKinnon reported that Simpson had shattered windows at the home, an act Simpson would repeat the following day while threatening McKinnon, reportedly saying, “I’ma f— you and your house up.”
Just hours before the deadly fire, officers were called to the home once again after Cunningham reported that Simpson had assaulted her. Shortly afterward, a fire was set in a trash can and the rear window of the house, which was quickly extinguished, according to authorities.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, Simpson returned. Cunningham’s chilling final moments were captured on a 911 call, during which she could be heard screaming, "He came back," and pleading for help as the house filled with smoke. She continued coughing until her voice went silent.
Simpson is now the sole suspect in the case. Friends of the victims reported ongoing harassment by Simpson in the weeks leading up to the deadly fire.
In court Monday, WUSA9 learned Simpson lives with his wife and adult son and he was supposed to start school to be able to work installing cable for people. He was previously convicted in 2012 on drug charges and has been accused of domestic violence multiple times, including against Cunningham. All of the previous accusations were dismissed because victims did not show up to court.
Simpson is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of arson. His defense attorneys argued on Monday that there is no evidence implicating Simpson as the person who started the fire. They also suggested that two of the victims, McKinnon and Cunningham, had a history of domestic violence and argued that McKinnon could have played a role.
Meanwhile, prosecutors said multiple police reports show Simpson had terrorized Cunningham.
This also isn’t the first time Cunningham faced such a tragedy. According to the affidavit, her two children died in a house fire years ago, allegedly set by her mother.
In addition to the three human victims, several dogs were found in the basement of the home. They were unharmed and taken into the care of Animal Control.
This arson was one of three deadly fires in the DMV area over the weekend, claiming five lives in total. It's the first triple-fatal fire in the District since 2010.
According to the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 39% of women and 25% of men in DC will be a victim of domestic, sexual or psychological violence at some point in their lifetime. The organization helps thousands of adults and children in DC, experiencing domestic violence and the local organizations that serve them.
The organization's executive director Dawn Dalton told WUSA9, that their member programs are completely full. The organization has also been working with D.C. public schools to provide age-appropriate prevention education inside the classroom from kindergarten through grade 12.
"Often, when we think about protection, we think of how we can help people not become victims. I also feel it’s important to help someone not become a perpetrator because that’s how we create change,” Dalton said.
In Southeast D.C., Commissioner Salim Adofo is encouraging men to attend “Man up Against DC” an event he’s hosting, aimed at helping men resolve conflict.
“We realize as men, we play a pivotal role in being able to address this issue and we need to do what we can, so it doesn’t happen in our community,” Adofo said.
According to the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants, 38% of DV homicides occurred in Ward 8.
"We'll learn about conflict resolution. How we can be better men for ourselves, our significant others and being able to help women feel safe around us,” Adofo said.
If you or someone you know needs help, the DC Victim Hotline is available for all crime victims in the District of Columbia. The hotline number is 844-4-HELP-DC (844-443-5732) and is operational 24/7.