Fire may have been set to cover up burglary

By Liz Fabian - lfabian@macon.com

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Macon officials continue to investigate an early morning fire Thursday at the Felton Homes public housing neighborhood.

Authorities believe the fire was deliberately set to cover up a burglary.

At about 3:20 a.m., Macon-Bibb County firefighters arrived to find the bedroom burning in unit B-11, a small brick one-story apartment house on Felton Avenue, said Capt. Tom Musselwhite, arson investigator for the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department.

A tearful Thomasina Johnson said she was at the hospital staying with a friend when she got the call that her house was on fire. Johnson had trouble breathing at the scene and an ambulance was called to give her oxygen as police officers dusted for fingerprints.

Police recovered several of Johnson's belongings including a computer and television that were stuffed in a black plastic bag and left near the woods on Felton Avenue, said Macon police officer Shelly Rutherford.

Officers also found some stolen items inside a red 4-door Honda Accord that was parked at the curb. They dusted the car for fingerprints hoping to find a print to lead them to a suspect.

Johnson said she lost all her clothes and a number of personal items in the burglary and fire.

Michael Colbert, the Macon Housing Authority's director of housing management, said the authority will move Johnson to another unit.

Volunteers with The American Red Cross were on scene to assist Johnson and another resident displaced by the blaze.

Musselwhite said authorities have not determined a suspect. No other details on how the fire began were available.

Arsons continue to skyrocket in Macon and Bibb County with six incidents reported in the last month and more than 55 incidents so far this year.

Anyone with information about the break-in and fire is urged to call Macon police at 751-7500 or Macon Regional CrimeStoppers at 742-2330 or (877) 68CRIME.

Staff writer Ashley Tusan Joyner contributed information to this report.

To contact writer Liz Fabian, call 744-4303.

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