Murder Suspect Fled Apartment Building Before Fire

A murder suspect believed to have been trapped inside an apartment complex that was set ablaze--apparently by a police flash grenade--managed to slip away, authorities acknowledged Thursday.

The four-unit complex burned to the ground Wednesday, causing $300,000 to 500,000 in damage, said Joan Letbetter, a spokeswoman for the Riverside Fire Department.

Police continued to sift through the rubble Thursday, but searchers failed to find any bodies and the suspect remains at large, said Lt. Rick Albee of the Riverside Police Department.

Police defended their actions, which included the deployment of a special tactical team and the use of the so-called “flash-bang” grenade, which is meant to startle suspects and is used by many police departments.

Police tossed the concussion device into an apartment Wednesday morning, seeking to distract the suspect while officers rescued a woman who had been seen lying on the living room floor. She was pronounced dead shortly after being brought out of the residence.

“We made good tactical decisions based on the information we had,” Albee said. “It’s unfortunate things turned out the way they did.”

The suspect is believed to have slipped away just after 6 a.m., when officers responded to a call of a shot being fired inside the woman’s apartment.

Authorities quickly sealed off the area, but Albee said that the suspect apparently got out shortly before officers were posted at all exits.

The special tactics team did not enter the apartment until about 10:30 a.m., when they pulled the woman out. Police and fire units remained at the scene almost all day Wednesday, while the suspect was believed to be cornered inside the burning building.

Police have no suspects in the case, Albee said.

The woman was identified as Judith Goodman, 45. She had been strangled, authorities said.

It remains unclear if the suspect forced his way into the house or was known to the victim, Albee said.

Police have said that the grenade probably caused the fire, but Letbetter said investigators have not made an official determination.

Letbetter said Thursday the fire destroyed the four units. Four adjoining apartments were not damaged.