A fire at a North Highlands home in which firefighters found the bodies of a 37-year-old woman and her 8-year-old son was an act of arson, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District investigators have concluded.

Laura Fernandez and Wilfred Villarruel were found April 6 by crews that responded to the blaze in the 4000 block of Stephens Drive. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Evidence at the scene led Sac Metro arson investigators to believe that the blaze had been intentionally set, department spokesman Assistant Chief Scott Cockrum said Thursday.

Cockrum said he could not elaborate on the evidence because the arson investigation is ongoing.

Authorities had previously said there were suspicious aspects of the fire, including the time that it occurred.

Sac Metro crews, responding to the fire just after 8 p.m., reported finding a well-involved garage fire that had spread to the home, fire officials said.

The blaze was intense enough to hinder crews’ efforts to get into the home, though it was largely contained to the garage, which was gutted by 40-foot flames, fire officials said.

When firefighters did enter the house, they located the two victims.

Arson investigators and homicide detectives from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department were on scene the following day.

The deaths of Fernandez and Villarruel, however, have not been ruled homicides. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office has yet to establish the official cause of either death, a coroner’s spokesman said Thursday.

Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Jason Ramos said the investigation into the fire is ongoing, and investigators “were prepared for the possibility that it was (arson) and conducted our investigation accordingly.”

Sac Metro Fire is asking anyone with information to call (916) 859-3775. Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 is offering a reward of $1,000, for which citizens may be eligible by providing information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person or persons involved. Anyone with information can also contact Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP.

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