MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa — Officials have released the name of one of the two people who were found dead by firefighters after a Thursday morning fire here. Relatives already had identified the other victim.
The body of Stacy Ann Larsen, 44, was found after the fire was extinguished, Missouri Valley Police Chief Edward Murray said in a press release Monday. The Iowa Medical Examiner's Office made the identification, he said.
The name of the man who was killed in the fire is still officially being withheld pending an investigation by the medical examiner's office, Murray said.
However, Gary Stevens of Mondamin, Iowa, confirmed on Thursday that his son, Chad Stevens, 44, was killed in the fire.
Larsen's daughter, Haygan Larsen of Blue Springs, Missouri, told the World-Herald News Service on Monday that the family is having a tough time dealing with the loss of Larsen. Haygan Larsen described her mother as a Christian woman who was strong in faith.
She said she thinks the fire involved foul play. Missouri Valley police have not ruled out or confirmed foul play.
“My mom was not scared of dying. I don’t believe it was her time to go,” Haygan Larsen said. “She told me she couldn’t wait to get her wings.”
The fire was reported around 7:45 a.m. Thanksgiving Day. Ten area fire departments responded to assist Missouri Valley firefighters.
Tracy Scott, owner of the building where the fire occurred, said Chad Stevens was a security guard for CTI Electronics there, a computer repair and recycling business.
Stevens had a small area in the back of the business where he could sleep.
