Lancaster man arrested in death of woman whose body was found after car fire

LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) -- Authorities have arrested a Lancaster man in connection with the death of a woman whose burned body was found after a car fire at his home.

Matthew Switalski was arrested Thursday night, investigators told Eyewitness News. Jail records indicate he was being held on $2 million bail.

A woman's body was found Wednesday at Switalski's home in the 41400 block of 38th Street West around 8:30 a.m.

Firefighters were called to the home on a report of a vehicle fire. Neighbors reported hearing a "bloodcurdling" woman's scream hours earlier that morning and then the sounds of an explosion shortly before the fire.

After firefighters extinguished the flames, which spread to more than one vehicle, they found the woman's body inside the trunk of one vehicle.

Switalski was initially termed a person of interest who was being sought for questioning, but he was then located in Kern County and placed under arrest for murder Thursday night.

The woman's identity has not been released but neighbors say she was a schoolteacher in the area.