Update: North County Woman Murdered Prior to Fire, Suspect in Custody

A 36-year-old man has been arrested as a suspect in Friday's murder of a North County woman, St. Louis County Police announced in a news release.

Deidre Exum, 51 of the 6600 block of Chesapeake in North County, was found dead in her home Friday after St. Louis County police officers responded to a fire there.

Exum, whose body was discovered in a burning condo fire Friday, was murdered prior to the fire, according to St. Louis County police press release.

On Saturday, St. Louis County police released a statement that Exum died of blunt force trauma prior to the fire. Exum worked as a civilian security guard at the St. Louis County Circuit Court building.

Charges have not yet been filed against the 36-year-old suspect.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the fire did not spread to further units, and St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch expressed his sorrow for losing a co-worker.

“Deidre was a wonderful person,” he said. “Every time I saw her I got a a big hug from her. She was that kind of bubbly person.”

The St. Louis County police have requested that anyone who might have information about the crime, to contact them at 314-889-2341.