Woman’s death in west-end basement fire was homicide, cops say

Published Aug 30, 2024  •  1 minute read

A Toronto Police officer collects evidence from inside the home following a basement fire in Toronto's west end, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun

A west-end house fire that claimed the life of a woman this week is considered a homicide, Toronto Police say.

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And, according to investigators, the man who was living with the victim but also died of his injuries is responsible for her death.

Just after midnight Wednesday, fire crews were called to a home at 140 Rusholme Rd., west of Dovercourt Rd. and College St., for a fire in a basement apartment.

A woman and a man were pulled out of the home by first responders.

A woman is dead after a basement fire at a home on Rusholme Rd. in Toronto on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun

Police say the woman was pronounced dead at the scene while the man was transported to hospital in critical condition.

The Homicide Unit was notified and in the afternoon two investigators with the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal showed up to the home to begin their investigation with Toronto Fire officials.

On Friday, police identified the female victim as 27-year-old Jessica Perez Ocampo.

The man, identified as Roberto Mendez, was being treated in hospital but he later died of his injuries.

Police wouldn’t say how Ocampo died but did reveal she suffered “some trauma” to her body.

“It is believed that Roberto is responsible for the death of Jessica Perez Ocampo,” Det.-Sgt. Mike Taylor said.

“Again, it’s very early on in this investigation, but what I wanted to say is that this is not a random act. This was an isolated incident, and we are continuing to investigate that.”

Taylor added that Ocampo and Mendez were in a relationship.

— with files from Jack Boland.

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