Detectives are no longer probing the death of Mark Herron, whose body was found beneath rubble after a fire.
The 53-year-old's remains were found by police following a blaze at a property on Tunstall Village Green, in the Silksworth area of Sunderland, in February.
Police launched a murder investigation following the grim discovery, and a 38-year-old man was arrested.
However, detectives have now confirmed Mark's death is no longer thought to be suspicious, and the suspect has been released with no further action.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "We can now confirm it's a non-suspicious death."
Firefighters were called after the fire broke out on Tuesday, February 18.
The Chronicle understands that at first it appeared there was no one inside the property. But several days later police found human remains under what they described as “substantial and dense rubble”.
The body was later identified as Mark who was from New Silksworth in Sunderland.
A post-mortem examination revealed he died as a result of the fire.
Mark was a familiar face in the area and had lived a troubled life, it is understood.
In a statement his family said: “We are absolutely devastated by Mark’s death. Words can’t describe the pain we are feeling as we try to come to terms with our loss.
“He was a much-loved member of our family, and whilst he would have been the first to acknowledge he had his problems in recent years, he was a kind man at heart.”
In October the Chronicle reported how Mark had been banned from setting foot in the McDonalds restaurant at Roker Retail Park, following a string of anti-social behaviour incidents.
After being arrested more than 500 times since 1995 he was handed a three-year criminal behaviour order (CBO). The order also required him to work to address his alcohol issues.
Two months earlier he was jailed after a neighbourhood row about a hedge escalated.
He pleaded guilty to threatening to damage property and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court. He was jailed for 28 weeks and given a 12-month restraining order against his neighbours.
