Medical examiner determines cause of death for couple who died in house fire

MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A medical examiner has ruled that the cause of death for a couple who died in a house fire near Ocala last year was homicide, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday afternoon.

Deputies said the bodies of Robert Lee Cooper, 37, and Ariel Vanessa Prim, 29, were discovered in their burning Southeast 84th Lane Road mobile home July 28.

Robert and Ariel each leave behind a sibling and their parents.

The couple's deaths remain under investigation.

Elizabeth Jackson, Robert Cooper's sister, is still looking for answers.

"How somebody could do that to them, I just can't," said Jackson. "I don't even know what to say to that."

Jackson described the couple as kind and fun-loving.

"We want justice to be served because if somebody can do this to two people, just imagine what else they can do," said Jackson. "These people are loose on the streets of Florida."

Anyone with information about the deaths is asked to call Marion County Detective Billy Burleson at 352-368-3542 or Crimestoppers of Marion County at 352-368-7867.

If you'd like to donate to help their families, click here for Ariel and here for Robert.

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Cox Media Group