Mount Vernon Police are searching for a suspect in connection with a house fire that killed three people near Concrete on August 9.
The fire, which occurred around 10:30 a.m. on State Route 530, destroyed a two-story home and left three people dead.
Authorities now believe that the victims were shot before the fire was set.
The victims have been identified as 52-year-old Erin Birman, her 19-year-old son Taylor Dawson, and Taylor’s girlfriend, 18-year-old Jillian Whitney Van Boven, all residents of Skagit County.
The Skagit County Coroner’s Office determined that gunshot wounds contributed to their deaths.
Investigators are now focusing on finding 49-year-old Jason M. Birman, Erin Birman’s husband, who is believed to have been at the residence before the fire.
Birman has been unaccounted for since the incident, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest on three counts of second-degree murder.
Authorities are also searching for Birman’s blue 1994 Chevrolet pickup truck with Washington registration C67636L.
Birman, who frequents Skagit and Whatcom counties, is described as an avid four-wheeler and often has facial hair.
Neighbors, including Anissa Smith, who lives nearby, recalled seeing smoke and hearing sirens the morning of the fire.
Smith expressed concern over the tragic event, noting the heavily wooded nature of the neighborhood and the shock of learning that three people had died.
Mount Vernon Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and local fire marshals have been investigating the scene for evidence over the past several days.
Authorities are asking anyone who witnessed the fire or who has information on Birman’s whereabouts to contact the 24-hour dispatch number at (360) 428-3211 or the Mount Vernon Police during business hours at (360) 336-6271.
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