Man’s death treated as homicide after North Valley garage fire

PEORIA ( 25News Now ) - A 68-year-old man found dead in a garage that caught fire in Peoria early Wednesday was the victim of a homicide, said Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood.

Harwood said Jimmy L. Steele was strangled and suffered multiple blunt and sharp force injuries, and he died before the garage caught fire in the 1200 block of Northeast Perry, in Peoria’s North Valley.

Peoria firefighters said they found smoke and fire pouring out of a detached garage in the alley about 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday. They found the man’s body after putting out the fire, authorities said.

A release said the coroner’s office, Peoria Police, and the Peoria Fire Department are investigating.

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