Published: June 03, 2008 11:59 am      

Local authorities busy with several major investigations

CUMBERLAND - Authorities in Allegany and Garrett counties are busy with several major investigations, including two deaths, a suspected arson in South End that left five people homeless and two early-morning armed robberies of Grantsville businesses that occurred within an eight-day period.

In Cumberland, city police discovered a body inside a commercial building at 917 Gay St. on Sunday morning.

The badly decomposed body of an unidentified adult male was found in the basement when police investigated a possible breaking and entering of the huge two-story building that once housed a silk mill and served as the Tri-State Discount Center and home of the Western Maryland Food Bank several years ago.

"There is nothing to indicate foul play but we're awaiting autopsy results as we proceed in the investigation," said Capt. Kevin Ogle, city police operations supervisor.

At the time the body was found, police checked the rest of the building without finding any evidence of suspicious activity, Ogle said.

The C3I Unit is assisting in the investigation. The body was sent to the Maryland State Medical Examiner's Office for positive identification and to determine manner and cause of death.

In Garrett County, the April 1 death of a 15-month-old Mountain Lake Park girl remains under investigation by the Garrett County Sheriff's Office Bureau of Investigation.

Cheyenne Eileen Michelle Stein died at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, W.Va., four days after being transferred there from Garrett Memorial Hospital.

The child was taken to the Oakland hospital March 28 after she was found unresponsive at her home by a family member.

The investigation included participation of Child Protective Services and attending physicians "from the beginning of this chain of events," according to the sheriff's office.

Efforts to contact the sheriff's office Monday were unsuccessful.

In another Cumberland case, the city fire department along with Cumberland Police are continuing to investigate Wednesday night's fire in the 200 block of Springdale Street, located between Virginia Avenue and Industrial Boulevard.

The fire that originated in a rear storage shed of 221 Springdale was ruled as "suspicious" by City Fire Marshal Boyce Rogers, who is leading the investigation.

Fueled by the presence of a large quantity of liquid and solid flammable materials, the blaze shot skyward and quickly extended to the building at 221 and a neighboring brick duplex.

Two firefighters sustained minor injuries in the incident that displaced two men and a woman that lived in separate apartments at 217-219 Springdale. A couple that resided at 221 was also left homeless by the fire.

The shed where the fire originated was apparently the target of an attempted entry a couple of days before the fire occurred, according to Tanya Vargas, daughter of the tenants at 221 Springdale.

Rogers said the property loss was "estimated at $200,000 for everything, all three properties and contents."

"If anyone has information that could assist us, we would like to hear from them," said Rogers, who may be contacted at (301) 759-6484. Cumberland Police may be contacted at (301) 777-1600.

In Garrett County, Maryland State Police are continuing to investigate the early Sunday armed robbery at Fuel City in Grantsville along with the armed robbery of the Grantsville Market that occurred in the early morning hours May 24.

"We are pursuing leads that have been developed through citizen tips and surveillance photos," said Detective Sgt. Steve Vincent of the McHenry barrack.

No one was injured although a handgun was displayed in each incident when the suspect demanded money from the cash register.

The suspect in the 3:50 a.m. holdup at Fuel City was described as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and of medium build. The suspect was wearing a knit cap style face mask, black hooded zip-up sweatshirt with red sleeves, black sweat pants and black gloves at the time of the incident.

In the Grantsville Market robbery, the suspect was described as 5 feet 8 inches in height and of medium build. His clothing description included a bandana over his face and a hooded sweatshirt.

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.