BEAUMONT, Texas — Beaumont Police have identified the victim of what they think was a fire that was intentionally set.
Police say the death of Jason West, 41, of Beaumont is now being ruled a homicide.
West's body was found badly burned in the remains of a house fire on Friday morning, October 7, 2022, in the 4500 block of Dallas Ave.
Police and fire investigators believe the fire may have been intentionally set according to a news release from the Beaumont Police Department.
RELATED: 'Badly burned' body found in Beaumont home following Friday fire, Beaumont Police investigating
Police say that they believe Channin Keon Ardoin, 39, of Beaumont, took the victim's car and drove it to Huntington, Texas, on Friday according to the news release.
Huntington is on U.S. Highway 69 about 97 miles north of Beaumont.
Ardoin fled after he was spotted driving the victim's Hyundai by a Huntington Police officer the release said.
He wrecked the car in the parking lot of a Metal Mart on U.S. Highway 69 in Lufkin and then ran away according to Beaumont Police. He has not yet been found police say.
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