Medical examiner releases cause of Palatine fire victim’s death

A woman found in the smoky basement of a Palatine home Friday died from carbon monoxide intoxication and inhalation of smoke and soot caused by the house fire, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said Saturday.

The death of Joann Joyce, 58, was ruled a suicide by the medical examiner who conducted her autopsy.

Palatine firefighters responded to Joyce’s home in the 1100 block of West Mallard Lane at 11:51 a.m. Friday, but were unable to resuscitate her. She was pronounced dead at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

While the Palatine Fire Department knew of the medical examiner’s ruling on the manner of Joyce’s death, fire officials could not confirm the cause of the fire Saturday because a joint investigation including Palatine police was not yet complete.