W.Va. man captured after allegedly stabbing mom in head, setting house on fire, and fleeing

WOOD COUNTY, W.Va. (TCN) -- Deputies located and arrested a 23-year-old man they allege stabbed his mother and set her house on fire, completely burning it down.

According to the Wood County Sheriff's Office, on Sunday, Aug. 18, just before 8 a.m., deputies were called to a home on Buckner Bend Road for a domestic incident that involved a woman being stabbed in the head. Deputies spoke with the victim and learned Charles Hess IV allegedly "assaulted his mother with a knife causing non-life-threatening wounds to her scalp." After the incident, he reportedly ran away to a wooded area.

The sheriff's office deployed a K-9 unit to track him down but were unsuccessful.

The next morning at 2:12 a.m., officials received a call about a house fire at the same Buckner Bend Road address. Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, which had "fully engulfed" the home. Investigators reportedly believe Hess "returned to the residence and is a contributing factor to the fire."

The sheriff's office said no one was believed to be home when the fire broke out, but it was a "total loss."

Following the stabbing and fire, the sheriff's office put out a Be on the Lookout (BOLO) alert for Hess, saying he should be considered armed and dangerous.

On Tuesday, Aug. 20, at 8 p.m., deputies found Hess in a wooded area near the home and in the same vicinity where they had been previously searching.

He was taken into custody on a charge of attempted murder, but the sheriff's office said he could face additional charges. Jail records show his bond was set at $50,000.

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