DALLAS — The Dallas County Medical Examiner's office released a report Monday saying the death of Elizabeth Lightfoot — the 22-year-old woman whose charred body was found in her burning car last month — was an accident, not a murder.
The report attributed Lightfoot's demise to smoke inhalation and thermal injury, adding she was clearly drunk before crashing her car.
"Elizabeth Lightfoot's family is confused and heartbroken with the current ruling by the M.E's office," said family spokesman Blake Lewis.
"We feel like someone poured gasoline on her and on the car and set her on fire," said Marshall Lightfoot, Elizabeth's grandfather.
Since November 4, when the woman's body was found in her car parked behind a strip mall in the 16000 block of Preston Road, police have been stumped by the events leading to her death.
Dallas Fire-Rescue arson investigators have said gasoline may have been poured on the car, leading police to believe the hairdresser may have been murdered.
But sources say the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were brought in to examine the evidence, and investigators determined Lightfoot crashed her car, and that led to the fire.
The medical examiner also ruled that Lightfoot's blood alcohol level was nearly 0.36 — more than four times the legal limit, and a dangerous level for anyone.
Her family disagrees with the official findings. "I think we continue to believe there's a murder," Lewis said. "There are too many unanswered questions. The cause of the fire in the vehicle is only but one piece of the broader situation."
Dallas police say they will maintain an open mind about this still-unsolved case.
"The Medical Examiner's findings are one component of a comprehensive investigation," police spokesman Lt. Scott Walton said in a statement. "Dallas Police Department homicide investigators in consultation with DFR's arson investigators continue to treat Ms. Lightfoot's death as a homicide."
A similar statement was issued late Monday afternoon by Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Lt. Joel Lavender: "This case will remain in an 'Under Investigation Status' until factual information is identified that better explains Ms. Lightfoot's death."
The fire department statement said that the circumstances surrounding the woman's death "are not open to discussion at this time" and added that the department will make no further statements "due to the sensitivity of this case and our ongoing investigation."
Many unanswered questions remain, but based on the agency's investigation and all the available evidence, the medical examiner believes Lightfoot was drunk, crashed her car, and died as a result.
E-mail rlopez@wfaa.com
