Elderly woman dies in Crosby house fire

Crews find body of 85-year-old woman inside home

CROSBY, Texas – An elderly woman is dead after a fire burned down her home in Crosby.

It happened around 9:45 a.m. Saturday in the 900 block of Little Doe Drive.

When the Huffman Volunteer Fire Department arrived at the scene, the house was fully engulfed in flames.

"It went up like a match, with flames everywhere," said John Corley, who lives across the street.

After the fire was extinguished, crews found the body of an 85-year-old woman inside the home. Her son told Local 2 she went by the name Joy Oliver and she lived in the home with several of her cats for more than 30 years.

"She was really just a good old lady. She never caused any problems," Corley said. "I would go over and mow her lawn for her."

The Harris County medical examiner and homicide investigators spent hours Saturday at the scene surveying the damage.

"Based on the initial information we were uncertain whether or not foul play may be involved," said Sgt. Ben Beall.

Smoke could be seen rising from the ashes hours after the fire was extinguished. Several of Oliver's cats were also walking through the debris.

"She used to walk up and down the road and she would have about 50 cats with her," Corley said. "That was pretty much her life, her animals."

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday.