By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

POLICE yesterday had no leads into the death of a young woman whose partially burned body was found with a “black cord” wrapped around her neck early Monday morning.

Officials have not identified the victim but The Tribune understands she is Ariel Lowe, a graduate of St Andrew’s High School.

Superintendent Paul Rolle, officer in charge of the Central Detective Unit, said police will await an autopsy to determine the cause of death; however, it is believed that the fire was “intentionally started”.

It is still unclear whether the woman committed suicide or if foul play was suspected.

Police were alerted to the house fire shortly after 9am on Monday. When officers arrived on the scene, they found a section of the home partially engulfed in flames.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze and discovered the body of the woman, believed to be in her early 20s, lying on a bedroom floor.

“Police received reports of a structural fire in the Margaret Avenue area off Carmichael Road. Once the fire was out officers discovered the body of a female lying on the floor in a southwestern bedroom,” Mr Rolle said.

“Further examination of the woman revealed a black cord was tied around her neck and further investigations revealed that the cord was tied around some of the beams above the rafters. We are conducting our investigations to determine what happened.”

Although the death has not been classified, Mr Rolle said police believe the fire was set intentionally in an attempt to “conceal evidence”.

“An autopsy will have to be performed to determine the exact cause of death,” he said. “There appear to be two areas in the building where the fire was intentionally started.”