Shock, revelation, and indeed an arrest have emerged a week after the tragic end of 27-year-old EMT and expectant mother Melissa Lamesch who died in a fire that engulfed her dwelling on November 25, 2020.
The individual who was found two days into labor was found at what was initially perceived as their dwelling during a burning of what appeared to be a house fire. Investigators, later confirmed that the fire had instead been deliberately started as some mechanism to hide the killing, given that there were neither effects of smoke inhalation, nor carbon monoxide, but the findings made concluded that strangulation killed.
Plote, the father of Lamesch’s unborn child, reportedly had difficulty with the prospect of becoming a father. According to Lamesch’s sister, Cassie Baal, Plote had been distant and discouraged Lamesch from going ahead with the pregnancy. “She thought he’d want to be involved, but she saw a different side of him,” Baal shared.
It never came up in conversation; Plote kept his pending fatherhood a secret even from close colleagues at the firehouse. “It’s odd not to share significant life events,” said Rob Schultz, Plote’s fire chief, adding that firefighters bond over personal milestones.
According to the prosecution, Plote feared the baby’s arrival was going to upset his life. On the day of the fire, Plote visited Lamesch under the pretense of talking about their future but reportedly murdered her and then proceeded to start a fire as a pre-arranged accident.
Plote has pleaded not guilty and has been arrested in March 2022 on murder, arson, and intentional homicide counts against an unborn child.
As the case unfolds, Lamesch’s family remembers her as a compassionate EMT and a devoted daughter excited to embrace motherhood. “She was strong, fearless, and ready to take on life with her baby,” her father said.
The trial is ongoing, with prosecutors seeking justice for both Lamesch and her unborn son.
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