Name of Dexter fire victim released

DEXTER, Mo. -- The victim of the early Monday morning fire on North Poplar Street in Dexter has been tentatively identified as 52-year-old Lois Wells.

Dexter Police Detective Cory Mills had requested Monday the name of the victim be withheld pending notification of next of kin and until she could be positively identified through an autopsy Tuesday morning. Mills reported Tuesday the department had obtained a DNA sample that was sent to the Missouri Highway Patrol Crime Lab.

"We suspect the victim to be Lois Wells, but DNA results will confirm that," Mills said.

Dexter firefighters were called to a rental house in the 900 block of North Poplar Street at 1:20 a.m. Monday and found the home engulfed in flames. After combing through the rubble for more than 11 hours, the burned body of a female victim was found about noon Monday.

The fire's cause hasn't been determined.