MCSO officials said a man pulled from burning home by firefighters had committed suicide

Marion County Sheriff's Office detectives said the death of a man pulled from a mobile home fire by firefighters a few months ago was a suicide.

A report from the Medical Examiner's Office notes the man died from acute carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation and soot from the fire. The same report states the manner of death was suicide.

From their investigation, detectives conclude the victim intentionally set the residence and other surrounding property on fire and "made no effort to leave," according to the report. Detectives said there's no evidence indicating someone else started the fire.

The man's family was notified about the investigation.

Authorities identified the deceased as 56-year-old Leroy Edward Berka of Ocala.

Fire at SW 19th Place

Shortly after 1 a.m. on Jan. 30, Deputy Stephan Michaelides was called to 7720 SW 19th Place, near West Port High School, about a fire.

The mobile home was "fully engulfed" when the deputy arrived at the location, according to a sheriff's office report. A neighbor told the deputy a man lived at the residence. Michaelides knocked, and shouted, however no one answered. The deputy said in the report a pickup truck was also on fire.

Firefighters got to the location and removed Berka through a window located on the east side of the residence. Firefighters found Berka inside a bedroom lying face down in front of a chair, authorities said. The victim died not long after he was taken from the mobile home, law enforcement officials said.

Fire officials told detectives they smelled some type of petroleum product close to the truck. Deputies also smelled gasoline inside the shed.

Investigation

When it was safe to enter the charred mobile home, detectives saw a large gas can in a hallway and smelled gasoline, according to the report.

Berka's hands, face and arms were burned. Evidence from Berka's body points to him possibly being alive and was inhaling smoke, detectives said. The man's shoes and socks had some form of accelerant, state officials said. Clothed, Berka's body had no other injuries, officials said.

Talking with neighbors, detectives were told Berka once lived next to the burned residence, but had to move because he could not afford to live there. The neighbor said the victim then lived in a shed nearby until around November when a man who lived at the now destroyed mobile home asked Berka to help him because he was ill. The neighbor said Berka would take the man to the hospital and rehabilitation, and the two were friends. The man died roughly a week before the fire. The man's death was attributed to natural causes, detectives said.

The neighbor told detectives Berka knew his friend was leaving the property and its content to someone else, identified as a woman, who had plans to sell everything. Berka was reportedly told he had to leave the property within six months, authorities said.

Berka unhappy

Detectives interviewed the woman who they were told was given the property and its contents. She told detectives she knew both men for years.

She said Berka knew she was going to inherit the property, had met with a lawyer and at some point, had to leave.

The woman said she saw the victim before the fire and he seemed fine.

Insane: Not guilty by reason of insanity: Federal judge rules in Marion County church fire case

Berka's co-worker was interviewed by a detective, who told them Berka was apparently not happy about the situation.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: MCSO: Ocala man death from residential fire was suicide