Photo: Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
The death of a man in a North Richmond house fire has been ruled a homicide, according to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
An autopsy determined that Virillio Patino-Cruz, 23, of North Richmond, died from carbon dioxide intoxication due to smoke inhalation due to the fire, which occurred Tuesday morning at a home in the 1800 block of Giaramita Street, the sheriff’s office said Wednesday.
Patino-Cruz was found unresponsive in the home and was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased, the sheriff’s office said.
Even before the autopsy was done, Patino-Cruz’s death was deemed suspicious. Arson investigators joined Sheriff’s Office detectives in probing the incident.