A woman and her daughter were found dead in their New Richmond, Wis., home this week and a 37-year-old man has been arrested in Texas in connection with their deaths, police said Thursday.

The bodies of Courtney L. Bradford, 30, and her 10-year-old daughter, Jasmine, were found on separate floors of the residence on the 1400 block of Hallewood Boulevard, said Police Chief Mark Samel­stad. He declined to say how the Bradfords died, but said authorities are conducting a homicide investigation.

Cristian Daniel Nunez-Ortega, 37, was charged Thursday with illegal use of a credit card and operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, Samelstad said. Nunez-Ortega was arrested in El Paso, Texas, and extradition proceedings have started the process of returning him to Wisconsin, the chief said. "I believe it was ex-boyfriend, ex-girlfriend," Samel­stad said. Courtney Bradford's car was recovered at an airport in Iowa, he said.

The bodies were found during the noon hour on Wednesday when firefighters and police officers responded to a report of smoke at their home, said Police Lt. Jerry Cody. Courtney Bradford was found on an upstairs floor, and Jasmine was found in the basement. She had celebrated her 10th birthday on Aug. 15, according to a Facebook post.

Both bodies were taken to the Ramsey County medical examiner for autopsies, Cody said. "This was an isolated incident at this residence," Cody said, adding that police see no further threat to others.

Fire Chief Jim VanderWyst said an alarm was sounding when firefighters entered the residence. They found both flames and smoke, and "about 20 percent" of the house was damaged, he said. Water was running in the basement.

"It's a bad day in New Richmond," Mayor Fred Horne said of his city, 16 miles northeast of Stillwater. "It's a small, safe community."

Kevin Giles • 651-925-5037