The Marion County Medical Examiner has officially ruled that homicide was the cause of death for an Ocala couple found dead inside their charred mobile home last July.
The remains of Robert Lee Cooper, 37, and his 29-year-old wife, Ariel Vanessa Prim, were positively identified in December. Their remains were found by crews from Marion County Fire Rescue who responded to the July 28 blaze at 4030 SE 84th Lane Rd. They then requested the assistance of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in the case.
In January, the Florida Sheriff’s Association Criminal Apprehension Assistance Program and Marion County Crime Stoppers teamed up to offer a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest in the case. Anyone who has information and would like to be eligible for the award should contact Marion County Crime Stoppers at 352-368-STOP (7867). Callers also can contact Detective Billy Burleson at (352) 368-3542.