Police ask public's help finding 'person of interest' in fatal Seal Beach fire

SEAL BEACH – Police asked for the public’s help Thursday in the search for a homeless man who may have been a witness or a person of interest in coection with a fire that killed a 67-year-old man and his dog in Seal Beach.

Authorities believe Eric Jesus Andrade, 37, has information that might aid the investigation into the death of John Doelly, who was found dead after a fire at a two-story duplex last week, said Seal Beach police Sgt. Phil Gonshak.

Doelly was known to let Andrade sleep on his property by his garage, according to Seal Beach police Sgt. Phil Gonshak.

Andrade is white, about 5 feet 9, 160 pounds, with brown eyes, brown hair and a tattoo circling his right elbow.

The homeless population in Seal Beach is tight-knit, so it is unusual for the transients in the area to not know where Andrade has been for the past several days, Gonshak said.

“The transient population is well intercoected,” he said. “They know where each other stays, their spots, their daily routines, and this guy is literally gone and it’s extremely bizarre. And it’s no secret we’re looking for him and he still isn’t coming forward.”

The sergeant added, “We need to find this guy so we can clear his name or find out more information ... that’s relevant to our case.”

Police have been poring over several hours of surveillance video for clues, Gonshak said.

The fire in the 200 block of 17th Street was reported around 12:15 a.m. Saturday, Gonshak said. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, they found the bodies of Doelly and his dog in the second-floor apartment, he said. No other casualties were reported.

Three people living in the downstairs apartment were able to get out of the duplex safely after the blaze broke out, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

Investigators determined the fire was “suspicious in nature,” Concialdi said. It caused an estimated $500,000 damage to the structure and about $20,000 damage to its contents, he said.

Anyone with information about Andrade’s whereabouts was asked to call Seal Beach police at 562-594-7232 or 911.

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