Man Held in 3 Fire Deaths Freed; Second Suspect Faces Charges

Citing a lack of sufficient evidence, the Redondo Beach police ordered the release of Bradey Kenneth Kruse, who was arrested on suspicion of murder in the deaths of three acquaintances trapped in an apartment house fire, authorities said Saturday.

Sgt. John Skipper said that the 19-year-old Hermosa Beach resident was released late Friday, a day after he and a companion, Ryan William Rickert, 18, of Manhattan Beach, had been booked in a fire that investigators determined had been set deliberately.

Police continued to hold Rickert, who is expected to be formally charged on Monday in the deaths of David William Weissman, 22, captain of a charter boat service; Lana McLeod, also known as Lana Scudder, 21, a Red Onion restaurant employee, and James Timothy Wooden, 25, an electrical engineer.

The three victims died when a fire swept through a four-bedroom apartment about 2:30 a.m. on May 23. One of two tenants who escaped, Roger Coloma, said in an interview that Rickert and Kruse had returned to the apartment several hours after a party had been held there and urged him to join them in socializing. He said he declined because he was tired.

Homicide detectives are still investigating the fire, Skipper said.