BUSY — The deaths of two people found in a house fire in the Busy community of Perry County last week have been ruled a double homicide by the state medical examiner’s office.

The Avawam Fire Department responded to the fire in the early evening of April 19 on Couchtown Road, later contacting Kentucky State Police (KSP) after two bodies were found at the scene. Both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene by the Perry County Coroner’s Office.

Garfield Herald, 58 of Busy, has been positively identified by the state medical examiner as the male victim in the fire, while the identity of the female victim has yet to be positively identified.

WYMT-TV in Hazard has reported family members have identified the female as Christina Thacker, although no other information about her has been reported.

KSP Trooper Tony Watts on Friday morning said investigators are suspecting foul play in the case, and state police detectives along with arson investigator Clarence Gabbard are still investigating the incident.

The exact cause of the fire and the deaths of the two people located at the residence have not been released at this time.

The Herald will be updating this story as more information becomes available.