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Chapel Hill Fire Victim Found with Bound Hands

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CHAPEL HILL — Police revealed Friday that the hands of aman found dead after a fire at his computer store last weekend were bound.They declined to say how the hands were bound, other than to add that hisbody was found in proximity to "four attached pieces of wood andblack-coated wire."

The body of Roger Tomboulian, 61, was found just inside the front doorof his shop, Total Computer Center, on South Elliott Road. Smoke hadalerted people at a nearby pool hall about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

Investigators have not determined whether Tomboulian's death isattributable to homicide, suicide or accident.

They are also deciding if arson was a factor, because an accelerant fedthe fire. Tomboulian died of carbon monoxide poisoning as a result ofsmoke inhalation. Medical examiners found no other injuries thatcontributed to his death.

Police are also reviewing records from the computer store and froma second Tomboulian business, Cognisoft, which was at another SouthElliott Road location.

Police ask that anyone with information on the fire to call them at968-2760.

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