Police in Florida are investigating the suspicious death of a mother who was found dead in a house that burned down.
Paula Ribeiro, 54, of Deerfield Beach, was found dead in the remains of her scorched property Friday morning after a roaring fire broke out around 4:30 a.m.
But police were alarmed when they realized her body was not found completely burned — indicating Ribeiro may have been killed before the house was set on fire, her daughter Kimberly Silva said.
Neighbors also revealed the terrifying detail that they heard screams from the property before it erupted into an orange inferno.
“There was evidence that she had been murdered before the fire,” Silva told CBS News. The Broward Sheriff’s Office has not officially ruled her death a homicide.
Ribeiro’s two roommates survived the devastating fire. Silva said her mother was having problems with her live-in boyfriend, who was not named. They were together for six months.
“He threatened her,” Silva said CBS News.
A week ago, Ribeiro had temporarily moved out of the house due to issues with her boyfriend, the outlet reported.
“There was evidence that she had been murdered before the fire,” said her daughter Kimberly Silva. Police have not officially ruled her death a homicide, but have classified it as suspicious. Silva said her mother (pictured) was having problems with her live-in boyfriend

When firefighters arrived at the duplex, they were confronted with heavy flames and smoke coming from the home, Battalion Chief Michael Kane said.
Police have advised the public to ‘keep an eye out’ for Ribeiro’s friend as he is suspected of starting the fire. WSVN.
When firefighters arrived at the duplex, they were confronted with heavy flames and smoke coming from the home, Battalion Chief Michael Kane said.
‘I could see flames towards the sky. It was just orange, every inch of it – it was four little windows, and it was just orange,” said neighbor Alicia Baiocchi.
Another neighbor said he heard a “big bang” coming from the house around 5 a.m.
“I looked out my window and saw the house right in front of us was on fire, and I saw all the neighbors outside,” he told WSVN. “About two minutes later the ambulance came, the fire brigade and they are putting out the fire.”
Firefighters found Ribeiro dead in the back bedroom, Kane said, and neighbors reported hearing her screams before her death.
The family, who lives on the other side of the duplex, had to flee the home through a window after they were unable to get through the front door, according to WSVN.
Ariana Hunter and Caleasha Harris were two of the people who had to escape through the window.

Paula Ribeiro, 54, of Deerfield Beach – near Fort Lauderdale – was found dead in the remains of her burned home Friday morning after a fire broke out around 4:30 a.m. Her boyfriend, who has not been named, is suspected of starting the fire

Another neighbor said he heard a “big bang” coming from the house around 5 a.m

The family living on the other side of the duplex had to flee the house through a window after being unable to get through the front door
“I opened it up, there was just smoke, I couldn’t get through,” Ariana said of the front door.
“I pushed the screen out and we reached the front of the house,” Caleasha said. “When we looked back, the window we crawled out of was a fire.”
Authorities are still investigating the fire.