Husband, wife identified as Santa Ana residents who died in house fire

A man and woman who died in a suspicious house fire in Santa Ana on Tuesday, Jan. 1, have been identified as husband and wife.

Flames reported at about 10:34 a.m. scorched the first-floor of the two-story house on West Manly Avenue, according to Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

Residents Charlene Twee Nguyen, 57, and Ahmad Alassad, 39, were found dead in the wake of the fire, which investigators have called suspicious, he said. They were recently married.

Alassad was arrested Dec. 29 on suspicion of domestic violence, Bertagna said. He was released after posting bail the following day. A protective order issued for Nguyen against her husband was in effect at the time of the fire, he said. He said the couple had started out as roommates, then married in 2018.

Investigators had not released details Thursday, Jan. 3, on the cause of the fire, according to Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Larry Kurtz.

Autopsies are underway by the County Coroner’s office. Both the OCFA and the Santa Ana Police Department were investigating the incident.

Those with information on the fire are asked to call homicide detectives at 714-245-8390. Anonymous tips can also be left with Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227, or online at https://occrimestoppers.org/.