Dec. 28—The Christmas Day death of a Howard County woman has been ruled a homicide.

Pamela K. Hunter, 73, died of injuries “consistent” with blunt force trauma, according to a preliminary autopsy report by the Howard County Coroner’s Office. The final determination is pending toxicology and laboratory results.

Hunter was found dead in her Center home Monday afternoon after neighbors called 911 to report a possible house fire after witnessing smoke coming out of the residence. Within 12 minutes of the call, firefighters from the Kokomo Fire Department arrived on scene, located Hunter and extinguished the fire.

After an initial investigation, police declared Curtis Freeman, 44, as a “person of interest” in Hunter’s death and the fire, and a manhunt ensued.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Howard County Sheriff’s with a report that Freeman was seen in a liquor store in their county, according to a late evening Tuesday press release from the Howard County Sheriff’s Office.

After further investigation, it was determined that Freeman had received a ride from the Orange County liquor store to Dubois County. According to the release, Freeman was located and arrested in Dubois County on an unrelated outstanding warrant out of Vigo County for failure to appear.

As of Wednesday morning, Freeman has not been formally charged in connection to Hunter’s death.

According to WTHR, the Tribune’s newsgathering partner, neighbors of Hunter told the TV station she had taken in Freeman, who was homeless beforehand, and given him a place to stay to “get him on his feet.”

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information should contact Detective Ernest Shirey with the Howard County Sheriff’s Office at 765-614-3449 or submit a tip using the office’s mobile app or online at sheriff.hwoardcountyin.gov.