Accelerant used in Montebello house fire where 3 died

Police say they believe a man used an accelerant to start the house fire in Montebello that killed his girlfriend, her son and himself.

Adrian Saavedra, 47, died from complications of thermal injuries and smoke inhalation and his death was ruled a suicide, said the medical examiner’s office. It was unclear what community he lived in.

Montebello police Lt. Fernando Valle said the woman was 50-year-old Rosa Borquez Machado, while family and friends identified the boy as her 13-year-old son, Atiel.

Authorities are still trying to determine the motive behind the deaths and what kind of accelerant Saavedra used.

The fire started in the 100 block of South Fifth Street around 4:30 a.m. on May 14. Officers spotted the critically injured couple in front of the home fully engulfed in flames, police said. The boy was found inside.

Borquez Machado and her son lived at the home, her friend Hermalinda Anaya said. The boyfriend didn’t live there, she added.

“(She was) a good person and a good mom,” Anaya said.

She described Atiel as a good child and very smart.

Borquez Machado met her boyfriend via TikTok and had been together about eight months, Anaya said.

“He’s crazy,” she said.

Her friend told her about the things he did: The boyfriend would know if anyone sent anything to Borquez Machado’s phone, she said, adding he would call the person and tell them to leave Borquez Machado alone.

He also didn’t want Borquez Machado going anywhere without him because he got jealous, Anaya said. Borquez Machado also told Anaya about not taking the boyfriend to a recent party; he followed her.

The family created a GoFundMe to raise money for funeral expenses and to bring the victims.

, Rossy and Atiel, home.