ACCOMACK, Va. — Days after New Church Fire & Rescue teams found a man's body in a burning Accomack home, the Virginia State Police have arrested a suspect and charged him with murder and arson.
The case goes back to Dec. 4, when the fire department was called to the 6000 block of Lankford Highway around 9:30 p.m.
When they got there, they found Edward Bruce Mears Jr., 62, dead inside a burning building.
Investigators from the Accomack County Sheriff's Office, VSP and Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (in Maryland) worked together to figure out what happened there.
Early Friday morning, Sgt. Michelle Anaya with the VSP announced that they'd arrested Gary Joseph Fleig Sr. and charged him in the case.
The Accomack County Sheriff's Office is also investigating Fleig for a possible connection to a body they found in a field on Dec. 6.
Here are the charges he's facing:
- First-degree murder
- Second-degree murder
- Arson of an occupied dwelling
- Burglary
- Concealing a stolen firearm
- Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Anaya said there could be other people involved with the arson, and they're still taking tips related to the case.
If you know anything that could help investigators, call the VSP at 757.424.6800.