Man charged with murder after Southern Pines fatal fire
SOUTHERN PINES, NC (WTVD) -- The Southern Pines Police Department has arrested a man in connection with a house fire that left two people dead and sent another person to the hospital.
According to the Southern Pines Police Department, the fire broke out around 3 a.m. on June 15 in a home off West Lowe Avenue.
On Saturday, officers arrested 33-year-old Edward Dale Ager III and charged him with two counts of first-degree murder and first-degree arson.
Police did not release any more details about the arrest, as the investigation is ongoing.
Ager is being held at the Lee County North Carolina Detention Facility without bond.
When firefighters arrived on scene the morning of the fire, they were able to quickly get the blaze under control, but found a body within a few feet of a door. The second body was found later.
Another person in the home was taken to the hospital reportedly suffering from smoke inhalation.
The North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office has positively identified one of the dead as 31-year-old Lindsay Suzanne Farwell of West End. The second victim has yet to be officially identified.
Family members said he was William "Willie" Sloan, 72, a retired carpet layer. They said Sloan was a popular, outgoing man who had rented a room from the homeowner, 70-year-old Laverene Hallman.
The family told ABC11 they thought an arsonist was responsible for the blaze.
"From me hearing that there was an argument and somebody say they heard gunshots, I feel like somebody set the house on fire," said Jerard Jones. "I don't think it was no electrical problem or nothing. I feel like it was on purpose."
Hallman was able to make it out with a few injuries to the left side of her face.
"There's a lot of speculation going around," said Hallman. "He [Sloan] had a disagreement with some guy. Only thing I know is somebody ran in and got me out."
If you have any information regarding this crime, please contact the Southern Pines Police Department's Investigation Division at (910) 693-1481 or the Southern Pines Police Department's Crime Tip Line at (910) 693-4110.
