BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — An overnight fire destroyed a house where a couple resided before dying at the hands of their landlord.
The blaze occurred at 4:17 a.m. Sunday at 203 Post Ave., formerly the home of Joseph Soule and Jaclyn Lepird.
The 34-year-old Soule and 31-year-old Lepird were last seen on Oct. 7. Battle Creek Police issued a missing persons alert for them on Wednesday morning.
Then at 5 p.m. Thursday police announced during a press conference that their landlord, Chad Allan Reed, had confessed to killing the couple and hiding their bodies, which had been recovered by police.
Reed, 53, is being charged with two counts of murder. Police said it started with a tip from a source who said Reed had confessed to the killings. A short time later, Reed showed up at the Battle Creek Police Department and turned himself in.
Reed did not get along with the couple and they had frequent arguments, according to police.
There were no injuries in Sunday morning's fire. The cause remains under investigation.
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