Homicide investigation

CAVE CREEK -- The body of a woman was discovered inside a burned house near 56th Street and Carefree Highway in Cave Creek Tuesday night, and now investigators say they believe she was murdered.

Fire crews said the house was fully involved when they arrived on the scene around 8 p.m. The fire took about 20 minutes to put out.

After searching through the rubble, the body of white woman in her 30s was found inside the house.

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Mary Elizabeth Polgar

The woman has been identified as Mary Elizabeth Polgar, 29. Family and friends say that she recently changed back to her maiden name of Hermann.

Investigators said the woman suffered obvious trauma prior to the fire. Deputy Lindsey Smith said investigators will know more once they have the medical examiner's report.

According to detectives, whoever killed the woman put her on one side of the house, and then started the fire at the opposite end. Fire crews were able to douse most of the flames before they reached the woman's body.