In the early morning hours of July 2, 2015, a devastating fire tore through a three-story apartment building on South 2nd Street in Old Louisville, Kentucky, claiming the life of 51-year-old Florence Filatreau. Firefighters arrived to find the building engulfed in flames, with residents trapped inside. Two other individuals, Theresa Shultz, 51, and John Bullock, also perished in the blaze. The cause of their deaths was determined to be smoke inhalation.
The fire, which was quickly deemed to be of suspicious origin, prompted a lengthy and intensive investigation by the Louisville Fire Department's Arson Bureau and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Investigators determined that the fire was intentionally set on a staircase. The tragedy also resulted in serious injuries to two other residents who were forced to jump from third-story windows to escape the inferno, and a firefighter was injured during the response.
For years, the case remained a painful mystery for the families of the victims. Investigators released surveillance video of a person of interest seen leaving the building shortly before the fire was reported, but the individual's identity remained unknown. A significant breakthrough in the cold case finally came in October 2022 when a witness came forward with crucial information.
After a decade of investigation, authorities publicly identified the suspect as Michael Robertson in September 2025. By the time he was named, however, Robertson had already passed away in 2023. Officials stated that had he been alive, he would have faced charges of arson and murder. While the death of the suspect meant he would never be held accountable in a court of law, the resolution of the investigation brought a measure of closure to the families of Florence Filatreau, Theresa Shultz, and John Bullock.
