MIDDLETOWN — A woman found dead during a house fire on Lind Street Friday night had been stabbed, according to police.
Anson Pride, 41, was arrested near Oakland Park off Baltimore Street after he ran from the house in the 1200 block of Lind, according to court records. He is charged with aggravated murder and aggravated burglary.
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Firefighters responded to the house around 8:30 p.m. and found the woman still trapped inside the house.
“After forcing entry into the house, they were able to get the female out. The female was pronounced deceased at the scene,” a statement from Middletown Police and Fire read.
According to court records, Pride “confessed to gaining entry to the home by stealth, stabbing the victim when she confronted him and fleeing the scene on foot.”
Pride’s address in court records is a few blocks from where the fire and stabbing happened. It’s not yet clear how or if he knew the victim.
The Butler County Coroner’s Office has not identified the woman found dead or her official cause of death.