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September 5, 2008

Arson fire kills person on Akwesasne

Police find man's body in rubble

By DENISE A. RAYMO

AKWESASNE -- A suspicious house fire on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation killed a local father early Tuesday.

The fire at 306 Helena Road was discovered about 3 a.m. and had fully engulfed the structure by the time firefighters from the Hogansburg-Akwesasne Fire Department arrived, according to a statement from the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police.

The body of Thomas Hathaway, 44, was found in the rubble of the building.

The State Police are assisting in the investigation and have brought in a forensic-identification team to gather evidence in the case.

The Franklin County Cause and Origin Team is also investigating to learn exactly how the blaze got its start. But it is being investigated as arson.

Brian Barnes, assistant chief of the Tribal Police Department, would not discuss details of the fire investigation, saying the department will wait for the Cause and Origin Team report to be completed.

"It was one person, and no one else lived there."

County District Attorney Derek Champagne said evidence for the criminal investigation has been uncovered and collected in these early stages of the investigation and that interviews are continuing with a number of people who may have information.

"It's progressing, and the Tribal Police officers are each being teamed up with members of the Violent Crimes Unit from the State Police.

"We believe we have a positive identification of the victim from the dental records," Champagne said. "And we believe all of the family has been notified."

draymo@pressrepublican.com

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