A teenager who feared his home would be invaded by a drug gang died in a house fire most likely caused accidentally by a cigarette, a coroner has found.
The family of Daniel Paul Sheehy believes the 18-year-old was a victim of homicide and that the fire in his Melton South bedroom, in the early hours of March 14, 2012, was suspicious.
Hours before the blaze, Mr Sheehy told his girlfriend of fears he had of a man who had threatened him, over suspicions Mr Sheehy had spoken about the man to a drug dealer.
The night before he died, the teenager also told his father he was worried members of a drug gang would “run through” their home, state coroner Ian Gray said in findings on Thursday.
Mr Sheehy had also claimed in the month before he died, the Coroners Court had heard, that a drug dealer he knew of had put a gun to his head, forced him into the boot of a car and threatened him.
In an inquest last year, Judge Gray requested police quiz five men over Mr Sheehy’s death. Those men all deny any involvement.
Judge Gray said in his findings he could have compelled the men to give evidence had the forensic evidence suggested the fire was intentionally lit.
But the state coroner instead found the fire was most likely caused by a cigarette that was either carelessly discarded or not extinguished.
Mr Sheehy was known to smoke cigarettes and ice pipes on his bed.
Investigators did not find any trace of an accelerant or flammable liquid inside the bedroom.
“On that evidence, there is no objective reason to conclude that Daniel’s death was due to foul play,” Judge Gray said.
He said police had investigated the death thoroughly because of the concerns the teenager had in the hours before he died. Judge Gray said despite those worries, Mr Sheehy’s death appeared accidental, not intentional.
“I fully appreciate that it is difficult for the family to accept, but on the evidence it was, in fact, a coincidence.”
The inquest was told Mr Sheehy suffered a leg injury that prevented him from getting up when his father, Damien, reached out to him before the flames pushed the older man back.
The court was also told there was a hole in the bedroom window.
Judge Gray acknowledged the leg injury was a “troubling conundrum”, but found it could have been inflicted post-mortem, caused by firefighters or investigators.
Investigators believed the hole in the window was most likely where the glass burst after a build-up of pressure in the bedroom.
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