Woman Found Slain in Burning Home Identified

A woman found shot to death in her blazing apartment was identified Saturday as Ana Herman, 41, of Fullerton, police said.

Two neighbors pulled her body out of the burning structure about 10:15 p.m. Friday, unaware that Herman had been shot in the head, Police Lt. Geoff Spalding said. Herman was pronounced dead shortly after firefighters arrived on the scene in the 200 block of West Knepp Avenue.

A neighbor who has known Herman since they both arrived in this country 15 years ago from the same Romanian city was shocked and saddened by her friend’s death. “She was a nice lady,” said the woman, who asked not to be identified. “She liked to help people.”

The neighbor said she believed Herman’s generosity may have played a role in her death. She said Herman lately had befriended several young men who borrowed money from her and then returned repeatedly, demanding more.

The fire caused extensive damage to Herman’s apartment, but not to adjacent units, police said. Spalding said investigators do not know whether the apartment was ransacked before it was set ablaze.