Janette Armstrong Cung, 74, was found dead after a house fire in the early hours of October 23, 2020, in her home on Hartford Drive in Birmingham’s Huffman/Spring Lake area. Firefighters arrived just after 4 a.m. after neighbors reported flames and heavy smoke. During initial sweeps of the smoke-darkened house, crews found a man in critical condition and then discovered Janette deceased inside the residence.

Birmingham police described the case as a murder-suicide and identified the man as her husband, Jonathan Cung, 74. Authorities said Janette was pronounced dead at the scene and that Jonathan was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Investigators reported injuries to Janette consistent with blunt force trauma in addition to smoke inhalation, indicating she was assaulted before or during the events that culminated in the fire.

Janette’s obituary says she was originally from Hayden, Alabama, and had a long career with the Social Security Administration. No arrests or court proceedings followed because the identified suspect also died; the investigation was closed around the conclusion that it was a murder-suicide. Did anyone in the area know Janette or have information about that night?