A Loudon County man faces 45 years in prison for killing a neighbor whose body was found in his burning house in 2016, according to District Attorney General Russell Johnson.
Judge Jeff Wicks imposed sentence Monday for Timothy M. Patterson, 39.
Patterson was a neighbor of Richard T. Dirksen, 60, on Vonore Road in Loudon County.
In March 2016, neighbors alerted authorities that Dirksen's house was on fire. They found his body inside at the back door area, according to the Loudon County Sheriff's Office.
Several fires were set in the house, according to Johnson. The victim's truck also was missing.
Authorities found the truck burning just across the McMinn and Monroe county lines.
"It was also determined by Loudon County Sheriff's deputies that (Patterson) had stolen various items and had attempted to dispose of them by selling and/or trading them," according to a statement by Johnson.
Statements by Patterson also led them to suspect him, according to the Sheriff's Office.
In addition to the 45-year term, Patterson faces an additional four-year term to be served consecutively.
