GBI: Victims of 'racist' home fire set blaze themselves - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

GBI: Victims of 'racist' home fire set blaze themselves

  • More WALB News10 HeadlinesMore News Headlines

  • Saturday, May 25 2013 7:30 AM EDT2013-05-25 11:30:07 GMT
    Albany Engineer K. Bruce Maples, P. E. announced some road closures Thursday morning. Beginning at 6:00 A.M., Saturday, May 25, 2013, the following streets will be closed for the Spring Fest and SB
    Albany Engineer K. Bruce Maples, announced some road closures beginning at 6:00 A.M., Saturday, May 25, 2013, in downtown Albany.
  • Friday, May 24 2013 10:55 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:55:46 GMT
    Not going out of town for Memorial Day? Don't worry, the Albany Panthers want to make sure you have a good weekend as they host their first ever beer fest. You can sample more than 20 types of beer Saturday
    Not going out of town for Memorial Day? Don't worry, the Albany Panthers want to make sure you have a good weekend as they host their first ever beer fest.
  • Friday, May 24 2013 10:50 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:50:57 GMT
    The family of a Miller County woman is mourning tonight after GBI investigators say the 58 year old was murdered by her husband, before he took his own life. Now the family of Barbara Bass is speaking
    The family of a Miller County woman is mourning tonight after GBI investigators say the 58 year old was murdered by her husband, before he took his own life.

June 12, 2003

(Ashburn-AP)  -- A black couple whose home was covered in racial epithets and torched Saturday night is accused of starting the fire themselves.

The house owners -- Patrick and Shanda Burwell -- are charged with felony arson for the fire. They were arrested late yesterday after an investigation by state fire experts.

Ashburn Police Chief Ben Sumner said -- quote -- "We had some suspicions we picked up on as soon as we got there." Sumner wouldn't elaborate on why police thought the blaze and graffiti were done on purpose.

The Burwells originally told officers that they came home from dinner to find their house on fire.

Another man, 22-year-old Adrian Newberry, has also been arrested in this case and is charged with arson.

After the fire, Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine classified the fire an arson and considered filing it as a hate crime. State authorities also offered a ten-thousand dollar reward for information about the culprit.