Postmortem reopens criminal case in San Pedro

Police and fire investigators are taking a fresh look at Friday night’s fatal blaze in San Pedro, following a post mortem conducted on the victim’s corpse. That examination, while determining that Mauricio Rodriguez died of smoke inhalation, also revealed bruises on his body that were not consistent with fire. That finding bolsters claims by family members that the fire was deliberately set as an act of revenge against Rodriguez by men that may have followed him home that night. Police continue to seek information from the public to crack the case and anyone with a tip is asked to call the San Pedro Station or the 922 Crimestoppers hotline.