RICHMOND – Law enforcers continue to look for a person with whom they wish to speak after a deadly arson fire, and Missouri Fire Safety completed work and withdrew from the investigation.

Caldwell County Sheriff Mitchell Allen said the “vehicle of interest” is a black Ford Escape SUV with tinted windows and possibly a black, male driver. At first, investigators sought a black Dodge Caliber. The revised make and model of the vehicle is based on discussions with car dealers, he said.

Allen said May 13 his office seeks expert help to enhance the vehicle photo in the hope of revealing information about the occupant.

Allen said his office continues to pursue leads, but there has been no major break in the case.

One of the three Polo-area arson fires claimed the life of Lorene Fickess, 96, whose house at 5050 S.W. State Route D burned to the ground. Allen said there is no reason to think the arsonist knew Fickess.

Fire Safety conducted a “cause and origin investigation” involving the May 10 fires at the request of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, state Department of Public Safety spokesman Mike O’Connell said.

“They determined that the fatal fire was incendiary, arson, and that the other two – due to the extent of their damage – are listed as undetermined at this time, but they’re under criminal investigation because they’re clearly suspicious; they were vacant residences,” he said.

The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office is handling all further investigative matters, O’Connell said.

Regarding similarities among the three house fires, he did not release new details.

“They’re all suspicious, one of them was clearly a case of arson and it’s unusual for there to be … an accidental fire in vacant structures on the same day in very close proximity and at very similar times, so the presumption is that they’re related,” O’Connell said, though that has not been established firmly.

Allen said there are further similarities regarding the three fires, but he declined to elaborate to protect the investigation’s integrity.

The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office has asked anyone with information that might be helpful to investigators to call 816-586-2681.