Hallsville house fire victim identified

Dale Tolentino interacts with Kenya, a blind rescued tiger, in 2008, at DD Farm Animal Sanctuary & Rescue on Creasy Springs Road.

Photo courtesy of Columbia Missourian/Lesia Tatarsky

Boone County authorities identify the man who died in a house fire near Hallsville last week.

The Columbia Missourian reports the victim was Dale Tolentino, the owner of an exotic animal farm just north of Columbia.  Although the coroner’s report isn’t complete, it’s suspected Tolentino died of smoke inhalation. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.