Dispatch Police Reporter

Arson lab tests showed that someone splashed a flammable liquid into the home and bedroom of Kenneth French, 39, and lighted it July 7, resulting in French^ts death and injuries to his common-law wife, a Columbus firefighter said yesterday.

Jack Ward, an arson investigator for the Columbus Fire Division, refused to identify the liquid used and where it was used because the case has been reclassified as the city's 85th homicide of the year.

He said the flammable liquid could not be explained by an accidental spill of household products. "It's a little unusual," Ward said.

Columbus police said yesterday they have no suspects in the case but detectives know about previous acts of vandalism at the French home, 1044 Loretta Ave., including a drive-by shooting May 25 in which French's son, Jared, 25, was shot in the neck and leg. Several more bullets crashed through the house.

Police were called to the house again June 29 when someone shot out the living room window.

An obituary French's family submitted for publication said that he died because he was an anti-drug activist in his neighborhood, but police said they have no motive for the shooting.

Joyce Marsee, 35, was with French when the fire was discovered about 3 a.m. French helped her escape through a window but she suffered second- and third-degree burns over 30 percent of her body. She is in good condition in The Ohio State University Hospitals.

Marsee refused a request for an interview yesterday through a hospital spokesman.

Ward said Marsee told him the couple awoke to flames in the bedroom and that French stayed inside the burning house to save an antique shotgun owned by a relative.

"He helped her out the back window and apparently went back," Ward said. "He may have been overcome at that time.

"She said her clothes were on fire when she got outside. She stopped, dropped and rolled just like they teach in school."

Ward said French should have left the house with Marsee.

"There were two windows in the bedroom and he (French) was within 10 feet of either one of them," Ward said.