A Milford man is under arrest for his alleged role in a house fire that claimed the life of a 37-year-old woman ---

The Iroquois County Sheriff’s Department reported Friday 53-year-old Christopher Burton was arrested without incident on a warrant charging him with first-degree murder. This arrest comes five months after a house fire killed 37-year-old Ashley Tucker of Milford on October 16, 2025.

It was October 16 (2025) when firefighters with Milford Fire Protection responded to North Grant and East Frederick Streets around 10 pm. They found the home engulfed in flames.  Milford Fire Chief Frank Hines had reported Tucker was outside the home when firefighters arrived. Iroquois County Coroner Bill Cheatum said then, Tucker was taken to IMH, but transported to Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. She later died of her injuries.

Since then, a labor-intense investigation included several people questioned by sheriff investigators and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

On Friday, the sheriff’s department said in a news release, Burton’s arrest is the result of a “months long, exhaustive investigation,” they conducted into this incident. Investigators from the sheriff’s department reviewed evidence from the scene, multiple witness statements, surveillance video from the area, cellular location data and other records to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire. The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal was also involved in the investigation. The sheriff’s office said the case was presented to the Iroquois County State’s Attorney, leading to the arrest of Burton on a warrant.

Te sheriff’s department said this investigation remains active.  The press release from the sheriff’s department states, “Out of respect for the ongoing legal proceedings and the victim’s family, no additional information will be released at this time.”

94.1 WGFA