LAGUNA HILLS : Car Fire Death Laid to Lighter Fluid

Although police won’t comment on specifics concerning how Narges Bolouri was allegedly killed by a spurned lover, the woman’s relatives believe that the assailant doused Bolouri’s body with charcoal lighter fluid after ramming his car into hers.

“I saw the empty can of lighter fluid that was dropped in her car,” said Hormoz Massoudi, the victim’s brother-in-law, who arrived at the scene one hour after the fire. “I heard that the smoke was black, the flames were not blue in color, and the car didn’t burst into flames, so it couldn’t have been gasoline.”

Sheriff’s deputies said there was a strong odor of a flammable substance inside Bolouri’s car, although its fuel tank remained intact after Hossein Ghaffari allegedly rammed Bolouri’s parked vehicle at about 40 m.p.h. The incident happened Friday morning in front of the woman’s condominium.

Ghaffari, 34, was arrested Friday on suspicion of murder and is being held in the medical ward at Orange County Jail. Sheriff’s officials would not release information about Ghaffari’s medical condition.

Preliminary autopsy results show that Bolouri, a 35-year-old practical nurse, died from smoke inhalation and severe burns.

“I talked to (investigators in) the coroner’s office, and they told me she had fourth-degree burns over 100% of her body,” said Mike Bagheri, the victim’s cousin.

Bolouri was killed just weeks before she planned to wed a Vista doctor. Relatives said Ghaffari had threatened Bolouri’s life in the past and had called her the evening before she died.

Bolouri’s fiance, Mohammed Jahromi, on Monday declined comment. He said that he had been dating Bolouri for about three months and that they had recently become engaged.

A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Mortuary.