State investigates fatal fire in Questa
Nov. 8—State agencies are still investigating the cause of a recent fire that killed two women in a mobile home in Questa.
A search warrant affidavit filed in the 8th Judicial District Court in Taos said Albina Gallegos, 86, and Cynthia Ortega, 58, were killed in the Oct. 27 incident, though the document said the women's bodies must be examined to determined if they were injured prior to the blaze.
Capt. Jimmy St. James of the State Fire Marshal's Office said in an interview Monday the women were identified by police based on information provided by family members.
His office is working with New Mexico State Police to investigate the fire, St. James added.
State police Lt. Mark Soriano wrote in an email the agency considers the fire suspicious, but he provided no further details on the progress of the investigation.
The Questa Fire Department received initial reports of the fire on Old Red River Road just after 10 p.m. Oct. 27, according to the search warrant affidavit. The mobile home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived, with flames reaching several feet in the air.
St. James — who wrote the search warrant affidavit filed Wednesday — spoke with a neighbor who said he had been dating the daughter of one of the victims.
The neighbor told St. James he was with both victims Oct. 27 in Albuquerque to cash a check. The trio returned to Questa around 9 p.m., the man said. He saw the fire at the neighboring home erupt suddenly, he said, and asked his girlfriend to call 911, but she refused and left the area.
The man said he reported the fire to law enforcement, according to the affidavit.
Taos County Fire Chief Michael Cordova reached out to St. James about the fire and told him he learned there were some "disputes" at the residence and possible criminal activity.
St. James wrote in the affidavit he could not confirm the information.
He wrote that "investigators need to determine how this occurred ... [and] injuries to the deceased need to be examined to identify if victims suffered any blunt force trauma and or any trauma prior to this incident which will have to be examined by a Pathologist."
The State Fire Marshal's Office collected a number of items from the mobile home's charred remains, including clothing from both victims, fire debris and photographs, according to a court document.
When asked whether fire accelerant was found at the home, St. James said the debris his office recovered was sent to a forensic laboratory for analysis. He added it could take several months to get results.
Marianne Todd of The New Mexican contributed to this report.