“The family is just devastated right now,” said Ralph Long, son-in-law of the victim, John Acrey. “John was a good man. He worked at the Pepsi plant for a number of years and then worked at the ice plant.”

Long said the family had planned to be together for Christmas. He said his father-in-law was in the early stages of dementia.

Acrey's brother, Steve, who lived next door, said he was too overwrought with emotion to comment.

Firefighters work to contain hotspots.

Detective Obert Wiltsie of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office said the State Bureau Investigation will be called in just to determine the fire was not suspicious.

Davie Volunteer Fire Chief David Padgett said it appeared Acrey died in his sleep. He was found on a living room couch where Padgett said he normally slept.

It appears the fire started in the living room area but he could not speak with certainty at this point on whether the fire was the was the result of a small electrical heater found in the area.

Firefighters responded shortly after 6:15 this morning, receiving a 911 call of a structure fire at Acrey's home, which is off Highway 158 near the old Davie fire station.

Fire was coming out of three windows when firefighters from and Rheasville arrived, Padgett said.

Padgett said there is nothing to suggest the fire was suspicious. “Being there was a fatality involved, the sheriff's office thought it best to call the SBI.”

At one point, Padgett comforted family members as firefighters worked to put out hotspots in the gutted mobile home. “It's always sad,” he said. “But being on Christmas Eve makes it worse.”