Evicted Woman Arrested in Fatal Apartment Fire

A 26-year-old woman, evicted from a low-rent Long Beach apartment house last month, has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a fire that killed four people, including a woman and her two young children, police said today.

Brenda Denise Cooper was arrested late Thursday after being spotted riding a bicycle down a central Long Beach street. Cooper, who police said was evicted because of excessive noise and after arguing with the apartment house owner, is being held without bail in Long Beach Jail.

Cooper, who is unemployed, had lived in the 16-unit apartment house with her 5-year-old son for about three months before being evicted in early November.

The fire raced through the building at 1334 Peterson Ave. Wednesday night, killing Domitila Castellanos, 28, and two of her three children, Erika Estevez, 3, and Esmeralda Estevez, 8. Also killed was Raul Navarro, 25.