Calder man found dead in home after fire

One person is in police custody in relation to the mysterious death of Calder resident George Byron.{{more}}

Byron, who lived alone, was discovered dead in his home, which was destroyed by fire some time after 10 o’clock on Friday, August 9.

He was 47 years old.

Last Sunday, when SEARCHLIGHT visited the area where the burnt out house was located, one of Byron’s close friends, who asked not to be identified, was at the scene reminiscing about his lost friend.

“This really messed up. He was a good friend to me; we know each other all my life,” the friend said, as tears ran down his cheeks.

“I think that fishy,” he said.

Byron’s friend reasoned that the dead man was in good health, and if he was alive at the time of the fire, he would have been able to escape.

The man said that he was told that Byron’s body was found on the inside of the house, close to the front door.

Another individual, who also claimed to be a friend of the deceased, said that the entire community was saddened by Byron’s death, and called for justice to be served.

The individual said that he believes that Byron’s death may have stemmed from an argument earlier the night he died.

“People say he and a man was cussing and they say he slap the man, and the man say something like ‘ah go deal wid you’.

“Next thing you know, the same night his house burn down and he dead,” the individual told SEARCHLIGHT.

“George used to drink a little drink and make his jokes and he go his way. He was a cool guy. He didn’t deserve to die like that.”

A relative of Byron also described Byron’s passing as a “tough, tremendous loss,” and said that fond memories of Byron, as well as the home in which he lived, would always remain.

Byron had no children, but was the youngest of five siblings; he had two brothers and two sisters.

He will be buried on Sunday.(JJ)