‘Fire victim' had been stabbed dozens of times, killed earlier

EAST GERMANTOWN (WTXF) - A Monday morning apartment fire has now turned into a murder and arson investigation.

Firefighters were called to the scene in East Germantown and found the victim's body lying on the floor in a unit in the 500 block of E. Church Lane.

According to Philadelphia police, "The body was in the advanced stages of decomposition and had sustained additional damage from the fire."

In other words, the fire badly burned the body of 64-year-old Robert Lynch, which had already been in advanced stages of decomposition, meaning the killer returned to the scene and set him on fire.

Then, Tuesday, an autopsy determined Lynch had been stabbed several dozen times, so the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Police are not sure who killed Lynch. They have said they think the motive was an argument.