HOUSE FIRE, BODY IN PARK LINKED
Police seek motive after occupant found dead of self-inflicted gunshot wound
POTTSTOWN >> Police have identified the body of a man found in a Pottstown park early Friday morning after the man’s home caught fire late Thursday night.
Police identified Richard Thomas, 55, as the man found in Riverfront Park after his home was involved in a fire hours before. The cause and manner of death were determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.
At approximately 10:42 p.m. Thursday, police officers and the Pottstown Fire Department responded to the 200 block of Potts Drive for a report of a house fire, police said in a press release Friday. The fire department managed to get control of the fire within 17 minutes, according to Pottstown Fire Chief Richard Lengel.
No injuries were reported in the fire and no one was found inside the home after the structure was searched by firefighters.
Neighbors had advised police that one person lived in the home but that he worked nights. Police attempted to contact the homeowner without success.
Two hours later, officers were on routine patrol near Riverfront Park when they noticed an unoccupied car in the parking lot near South Hanover Street. The vehicle was determined to be registered to the home involved in Thursday night’s fire.
Police checked the area where the vehicle was found and located Thomas deceased in the park.
An investigation of both incidents is ongoing and police are asking that anyone with information on either incident contact the Pottstown Police Detective Division at 610-970-6570.