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Medical examiner releases identities of two people found dead after Montlake house fire

The medical examiner ruled the woman found in the home died from multiple stab wounds. The man's cause of death was smoke inhalation.

SEATTLE — The King County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death of a woman found in a burned-down Montlake home last week to be a homicide.

The medical examiner found 32-year-old Caitlin Savage died of multiple stab wounds. A second person, 53-year-old John Fuentes was also found dead in the home. The medical examiner found Fuentes died of smoke inhalation. 

Officers responded to the home on the 2200 block of 25th Avenue East around 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 14 to multiple calls of a man yelling and a woman in distress, according to Interim Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz. 

When officers knocked on the front door of the home, police said Fuentes was armed and refused to come out. Fuentes told police Savage was injured inside the home, Diaz said. 

Moments later, four officers attempted to get inside the home. Fuentes allegedly tried to stab the officers with a knife, so they retreated, Diaz said.

A SWAT team was brought in, however, there was smoke and flames from a fire in the home and which caused that team to retreat as well. 

The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) took over the scene once it was determined no one could have survived the house fire.  

Officials with the SFD said factors in that decision include whether smoke has filled the home for a certain amount of time and the amount of fire in the home. Fire officials said there was smoke and fire damage to other dwelling units in the home, however, no one else was injured.

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