Nov. 18--HOLMES BEACH -- A fire that destroyed a Holmes Beach duplex Sunday evening is "suspicious" because the co-owner has been missing for almost two weeks, according to Holmes Beach Police Chief Jay Romine.

Romine said investigators have not uncovered evidence that the blaze at Haley's Motel on Gulf Drive was intentionally set. But they also have not concluded there wasn't a link to the apparent disappearance of Sabine Musil-Buehler, who co-owns the hotel with her estranged husband Thomas, Romine said.

Musil-Buehler was reported missing Nov. 6, after her stolen car was recovered near 14th Street West in Bradenton. Manatee County Sheriff's detectives are investigating her disapperance as a possible homicide after they found a small amount of blood in the car. They have not revealed whether the blood matched Musil-Buehler's.

Her husband and friends say they last saw her at work on Nov. 4, and her boyfriend said he last saw her that evening when she left his apartment after an argument.

The fire on Sunday destroyed a duplex belonging to Haley's Motel. The blaze was contained before it could spread to the motel's main structure.

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