The house for sale at 2101 Dogwood Lane in Kinston was close to being purchased.
Now it’s a crime scene.
At 5:44 p.m. Sunday, a call to 911 reported a suspected fire at the residence. According to a release from the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, the rental agent for the home was next door when she noticed water running out of the house. She believed there to have been a fire inside and informed authorities.
The North Lenoir Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene. The home was vacant at the time.
The LCSO, Lenoir County fire marshal’s office, the North Lenoir VFD and the State Bureau of Investigation’s arson unit are investigating the incident as arson.
“Upon inspection of the interior of the home by investigators, the fire was determined to be arson,” the LCSO release said. “It is believed that suspect(s) had used an accelerant to burn the home. Investigators suspect the fire started sometime on Saturday evening.”
Neighbor Amy Baker said she didn’t know much about the incident, but, “I heard noises (in the night), and I heard someone tried to start a fire over there.”
A media report from the LCSO lists 16-year-old La Grange resident Tiamel Bradley as a suspect. The report said it’s unknown whether the homeowner and the boy know each other. Bradley’s due in Lenoir County District Court on March 4 for a misdemeanor attempted shoplifting charge.
The report shows the house valued at $150,000.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.