More empty homes burned

Published 9:40 pm Friday, May 13, 2016

An Orrville man turned himself in to authorities after allegedly igniting several homes around Selma. Marcus Spears, 48, turned himself in shortly after igniting three homes early Thurs-day. He was charged one with count of first-degree arson and two counts of second-degree arson.

SPEARS

SPEARS

“It was pretty open and shut. He walked up and confessed to police offers. The officers called detectives and everybody did their job,” said SPD Lt. Sam Miller.

In addition to the arson, Spears was charged with one count of failure to register as a sex offender and one count of failure to meet adult sex offender ID requirement.

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Investigators said the houses were ignited between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. and Spears turned himself in shortly after the last fire was set.

Spears told investigators he started the fires as a result of an ongoing family dispute, according to Detective Ray Blanks.

Blanks said Spears allegedly burned two homes at Van Court and one home on Lapsley Street. He said no one was injured and no families were displaced from the fires.

Spears appeared in court for a bond hearing on Friday. He was given a $500,000 bond. His preliminary hearing will be June 7.

“We’ve had a lot of recent arson all over the city of Selma,” said District Attorney Michael Jackson. “We’re glad several suspects have been arrested lately.”

Anthony Oliver, 20, was arrested in late April for allegedly burning four different abandoned homes.

He was charged with four counts of arson, two counts of unlawful breaking and entering and one count of criminal mischief.

According to authorities, Oliver told investigators he started the fires because somebody hit him in the eye.

Circuit Judge Marvin Wiggins later referred Oliver for mental evaluation.