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Written by: E. George
Published September 19, 2024 @ 12:50 PM ET
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – Authorities arrested a suspect in Mississippi after the bodies of two people were discovered inside a burning Cohassett Lane home on Monday, September 9, 2024. The DeKalb County Fire Department confirmed that the two individuals sustained gunshot wounds.
Officials have not released the victims’ identities; however, relatives said that their loved ones, 35-year-old Derris Deshaun Woods and his girlfriend, Brittany Hall, perished inside the home. Woods’ aunt stated, “He and his girlfriend haven’t even been living here that long.”
The fire reportedly began in the Panthersville neighborhood at approximately 1:20 AM. Fire department personnel said they found the single-family house heavily ablaze and emitting massive plumes of dangerous smoke.
Officials explained that the intensity and danger of the blaze prevented firefighters from entering the building. Firefighters tried their best, but the fire demolished the home.
A neighbor, said, “It was literally like the fire was shooting down and then billowing back up over the garage.”
Many neighbors had not considered the fire intentional until they observed a sign in the yard posted by Georgia Arson Control offering a reward for information.
Officials continue to investigate the cause of the fire as well as the victims’ deaths. Further details regarding the shootings and the suspect in custody have yet to be released.