SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The man who died inside a home that burned early Tuesday was Richard Nothnagel. City police released his identity on Wednesday morning and said he likely died of a gunshot wound, not from the fire, which a fire marshal says was intentionally set.
Nothnagel lived at the home at 1930 E. Elm St. and was the only person home at the time of the fire, which was reported about 3:45 a.m. His wife, Brenda, is in a hospital, according to her mother, and had been there since Monday to deal with complications from a previous surgery.
A news release from the police department says Nothnagel was 62 years old. A relative called KY3 News to say he was either 65 or 66 years old.
Firefighters said something kept reigniting the fire while they were fighting it. It took a few hours to get the fire out, and firefighters were on the scene until early Tuesday evening.
