 By the time the fire was under control , the house was almost totally destroyed , leaving behind only the garage and some front stonework . The fire had spread rapidly , and although high winds contributed to the intensity , authorities deemed the speed with which the house had become fully involved suspicious enough to bring in arson investigators . The bodies of Tim and Kelly were not recovered until the following morning , when the house had cooled enough to permit safe searching . Kelly had perished in her bed , most likely of smoke inhalation . Tim 's body was found on the ground floor , near the kitchen . Investigators at first assumed he had died trying to escape , but later determined that he had perished in or near his bedroom , most likely of smoke inhalation and heat , and that his body had fallen through burned flooring to where it was discovered . 
