House set on fire after assault; 1 dead

SPARTA, Mich. (WOOD) - A 24-year-old woman called 911 after a house fire broke out in Sparta, then was found dead Monday morning in what investigators are now calling a felony murder investigation.

Five adults were in the home at 9045 Vinton Avenue NW when the fire began around 2:30 a.m.

Before the fire began there was an alleged assault at the home, police told 24 Hour News 8.

The woman who died, Kori VanHulle, was found in the basement after part of the floor was removed by emergency crews. She was not the victim of the assault.

"She didn't make it. She was 24 years old and she was a good woman," said another woman who was living in the house, who is the victim of the alleged assault.

Investigators are not sure how VanHulle died. An autopsy is pending.

VanHulle had been living at the home on Vinton for a few months but is originally from Kingsley, Michigan.

The assault victim -- who asked not to be identified -- said that Michael Piranian, who was renting the basement of the house, attacked her. She showed 24 Hour News 8 cuts and bruises all over her body.

The victim said that Piranian suddenly snapped, came in to her room in the middle of the night as she slept, and started beating her with a pipe.

"He was beating me so hard in the head," said the victim. "Just, 'I'll kill you, I'll kill you!' Just think if he would've had a knife?"

Piranian, 62, was arrested at the scene, and police said he is cooperating with the investigation. He is suspected of both the assault and the subsequent arson.

He is being held on a felony homicide charge, which may indicate he didn't intentionally kill VanHulle, but that it may have happened as he was committing another felony -- the arson.

Emily Preston, the daughter of the homeowner, told 24 Hour News 8, "My dad woke up and heard (the assault) and then he jumped out of bed and jumped on the guy's back, and the guy started beating on him."

Piranian and two other people were taken to the hospital for treatment and are expected to fully recover.

24 Hour News 8's Marlee Ginter, Leon Hendrix and Amanda Jarrett contributed to this report.