A criminal investigation is underway in fatal fire in north-central Iowa. A body was found early Saturday morning in a house destroyed overnight by fire in Eldora. On Tuesday a coroner’s report tentatively identified that body as that of 39-year-old Brenda Cuevas…and the report gave the cause of death as “homicide.” Officials weren’t giving any more information about the fire or the woman’s death, but community members who knew Cuevas as a Scout leader and grade-school teacher’s aide say she worked hard at local causes. Cuevas had just moved to town from rural Hardin county after a fire in May destroyed her previous home. No cause was ever found for that fire.
