Tenant Charged In Edgewood Townhouse Fire That Killed 3

BEL AIR, MD — A woman has been charged in the May 9 Edgewood townhouse fire that resulted in the deaths of three people. Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler called the case a "complex investigation" that required hundreds of hours to "unravel the layers of stories and evidence."

Bobbie Sue Hodge, 60, of the 1800 block of Simons Court, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree arson.

The warrant for her arrest was served at 9:14 a.m. on Monday, July 1, at which point Gahler said Hodge was taken into custody without incident. She is being held at the Harford County Detention Center without bail.

When the fire occurred, investigators said Hodge was living in the home. She had lived there for more than a year, according to Harford County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Cristie Hopkins.

While the sheriff said it would be inaccurate to point to a "specific motive," he noted: "There were things that were said by the suspect in this case prior the fire that caused some of the other residents concern."

3 Residents Killed, 2 Injured In Fire

Nine people were living in the house at the time of the blaze, and officials said eight people were home when the fire broke out around 2:30 a.m. on May 9.

Deputies from the southern precinct of the Harford County Sheriff's Office dispatched to the fire were told that three people were trapped inside the house. Within two minutes, the deputies arrived and were joined by members of the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, Gahler said.

"Although every attempt was made to rescue the individuals trapped inside, tragically three individuals — residents of the home — perished in the flames, and two others were hospitalized with significant injuries," Gahler said.

Those who died in the fire are:

• Dionne Dominique Hill, 32
• Ernest Milton Lee, 57
• Kimberly Ann Shupe, 47

"At this time, I can report that those two that were injured have both survived and are still obtaining ongoing medical treatment," Gahler said at a press conference Tuesday, July 2, where officials announced the arrest of Hodge.

What The Investigation Revealed

In the hours that followed the deadly blaze, Gahler said the sheriff's office worked with partners from the Office of the State Fire Marshal; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Harford County State's Attorney's Office on the investigation.

"Investigators realized early on that this suspect deserved a strong look," Gahler said of Hodge.

"There had been calls for service at the house in the past," Gahler said.

The fire began in the second-floor living room of the townhouse and was incendiary, meaning it was arson, according to Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci.

"It was no accident that these three innocent people lost their lives on that Thursday morning, and that two others continue to suffer with their injuries," Geraci said. He called it a "senseless act of violence."

Investigators could not say what was used to set the fire, citing the pending court case.

What was clear, the fire marshal said, was that there were violations at the house that could have prevented people from dying.

The townhouse at 1862 Simons Court was operating as an "illegal group home," Geraci said. He described it as a lodging and rooming house, based on the number of people living there.

To be in compliance with Maryland code, Geraci said the townhouse needed a complete residential complete sprinkler system, fire alarm and smoke alarms through the house, including in the sleeping areas.

"If a sprinkler system was in place, these folks would not have lost their lives," Geraci said.

After the fire, he said that the fire marshal's office immediately inspected all the homes operated by the homeowner and brought them into compliance.

SEE ALSO:

• Triple Fatal Edgewood House Fire Sparks Criminal Investigation
• 3 Victims From Deadly Edgewood Fire Identified
• After Fatal Edgewood Fire, Manager's 6 Other Properties Cited

Hodge will have a bail review at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, court records show.

A preliminary hearing in the case is slated for 11 a.m. on Aug. 1 in Harford County District Court.

Watch the press conference where the arrest was announced: