Missouri teen accused of starting fire that killed grandmother
04/26/2022 11:44 am PDT
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Mo. (TCD) -- A 19-year-old man was arrested after allegedly starting a fire that killed his 62-year-old grandmother.
According to a press release from the Mountain View Police Department, on April 19, Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control assisted Mountain View police with a fatal residential fire at 330 Falck St. At the scene, authorities reportedly found the deceased victim, Phyllis Schweinel.
According to a probable cause statement obtained by KY3-TV, Jacob Hearne, the victim’s grandson, allegedly started the fire by first igniting a coat and placing it behind the chair his grandmother was sleeping in. He allegedly left the residence and went for a walk after starting the fire.
According to police, on April 20, Hearne was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, first-degree arson, and two counts of armed criminal action.
According to KY3, Hearne pleaded not guilty to the charges. In an interview, Hearne reportedly told authorities that he and his grandmother argued often and that his grandmother had asked him to help take her life.
Hearne remains held in the Howell County Jail without bond, police say.
MORE:
