Family mourns loved ones who died in suspected arson

Flowers and tears from friends and neighbors overwhelmed by the tragedy at the home on 23rd Street Southeast Sunday morning.

Margaret McKinnon, an 84-year-old retired nurse who worked at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital for more than 25 years, and her son, 64-year-old Ronald McKinnon, were trapped on an upper floor, overcome by heavy smoke and were unable to escape.

Margaret’s McKinnon’s daughter, Reece, is still processing shock and grief at what happened to her mother and brother.

“A neighbor gave me a call at 5:55 that morning saying, ‘Reese, get over here.’”

Because 56-year-old Robert Simpson, the man in custody for setting the fire, is still going through the judicial process, she’s not comfortable with her face on camera, but she wants to talk about her family and the generations of love held in the walls of this home.

“My mom, she’s always been a strong person,” she said. “Everybody knew her. Everybody loved her.”

She says her brother, Ronald, spent his days caring for their mother.

“Everybody knew our family and especially him,” she said. “He made sure he was known to everyone. So that’s just who he was, a friendly person that got along with everyone.”

She says she does not know much about the third victim, Jessica Cunningham.

Court proceedings revealed Cunningham had relationship problems with the suspect and police had been called to the home four times for small fires and broken windows.

Reece expressed compassion at the fact that Cunningham had been preceded in death by her two little daughters, who also tragically died by arson back in 2016, a fire set by Cunningham’s own mother.

She says she’s grateful for the strength of her own family as they struggle with the unthinkable.

“The support for family, it’s important to me and me being strong, just going to struggle to go on with this situation,” she said.

Funeral services for Margaret and Ronald McKinnon are currently being planned by the family.