ATHENS, Tenn. — A man has been arrested and charged in an ongoing investigation into a homicide and church fire in Athens on Aug. 15, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
TBI said special agents certified in fire and explosives investigations began a case into a fire at St. Mark AME Zion Church in the 700 block of North Jackson Street in Athens. During the initial investigation, authorities found the body of 69-year-old Linda Buchanan inside the church.
An autopsy revealed Buchanan died before the fire, TBI said.
According to TBI, further investigation and evidence collected by the Athens Police Department, led to Kyle Hickox, 36, as the individual responsible for Buchanan's death and the fire at the church.
On Friday, agents arrested and charged Hickox with one count of second-degree murder. TBI said that Hickox was then booked into the McMinn County Jail on a $600,000 bond.
The bureau also said more charges may result as the investigation continues.