Police: Fire deliberately set at apartment where teen's body was found

Law enforcement authorities said Monday that a fire last week at a Raleigh apartment where the body of a 16-year-old girl was found was deliberately set.

Police have declined to reveal many details about the case, including a possible motive or how the blaze at 3129 River Oak Turn was started. Raleigh police did confirm, however, that there is not a death investigation connected to the case.

Officials said Dale Charisse Murphy lived in the apartment and was a student at Leesville Road High School.

The school's principal notified students, faculty and staff on Monday about the girl's death. She was in the 10th grade Leesville High, said Lisa Luten, a spokeswoman for Wake County public schools.

Authorities have not yet disclosed if the girl died from injuries related to the fire or if she was killed before the fire began.

According to her online obituary, the funeral for Dale was scheduled to be held March 28 at Baptist Grove Church in Raleigh.