A burglary at a Whitefield home on Nov. 1 spiraled into an arson investigation after deputies linked a suspicious house fire to the ongoing burglary probe. Deputies reported stolen firearms, and firefighters reported hearing a gunshot near the fire. Both suspects are now in custody, according to the Haskell County Sheriff's Office, as reported by News On 6.
The sheriff's office opened its investigation after multiple firearms, tools and other personal property were reported stolen from the Whitefield home, according to KTUL. Investigators moved quickly, identifying two suspects and recovering stolen items from several locations scattered across Haskell County.
As the case developed, a suspicious fire broke out near a home connected to the investigation. Firefighters responding to the blaze reported hearing a gunshot nearby while they worked, and investigators later said evidence and witness statements gathered during the probe supported those reports of a firearm being discharged in the area, per the same account.
Suspect Found Hiding, Admits to Arson
On Nov. 2, deputies found one of the two suspects hiding inside a building. That suspect admitted to being involved in the burglary and to intentionally setting fire to the residence, the sheriff's office said, according to the station's report.
Both suspects have since been taken into custody, and deputies said they were working to recover the remaining stolen property, the article notes. The names of the suspects had not been shared publicly at the time, as KTUL reported. News On 6 also detailed how the burglary investigation led to the recovery of stolen firearms and the separate arson probe.
The case remains active as investigators continue working to track down the rest of the stolen items believed taken from the Whitefield home.
