CENTERVILLE, Tenn. - Authorities say the cause of a house fire that killed an elderly Hickman County couple is being considered suspicious and the case is being treated as possibly two homicides.
Hickman County Sheriff Randal Ward said he was not at liberty to say what evidence investigators had found that made them consider the fire suspicious. He said the fire broke out near the couple's bedroom Friday, and evidence showed they died trying to get out.
He identified the victims as 88-year-old R.T. Rivers, a retired Church of Christ minister, and his wife, 86-year-old Ruby Rivers.
The couple's home was located in the Nunnelly community, about 15 minutes north of Centerville.
Ward said the roaring blaze exploded cars in the garage and burned the house to the ground.