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Written by: A. Smith
Published September 5, 2025 @ 10:57 AM ET
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – A man accused of setting an apartment fire that killed his former girlfriend and displaced several families in DeKalb County has been arrested in Alabama, authorities said.
DeKalb County police said 44-year-old Shawn Fails was taken into custody during a traffic stop in Lanett, Alabama, by the Chambers County Sheriff’s Department. He has since been transferred to Georgia, where he faces charges of murder, aggravated assault, and arson.
The victim was identified as 48-year-old Stephanie Wiley. Fire officials said she was trapped on the second floor of her unit at The Hills at Fairington Apartments when the blaze broke out around 1 a.m. Monday. She was found unresponsive in a bathroom, taken to a hospital, and later pronounced dead.
Wiley’s son managed to escape by climbing out of a back window. He was hospitalized for treatment, but his condition has not been released.
Neighbors told FOX 5 they heard Wiley screaming for help before the fire spread. One resident said she saw Wiley in an upstairs window before her cries stopped. “I could hear her screaming and hollering for her life,” she said.
Ring doorbell video appeared to show a man setting the fire, but investigators have not publicly confirmed the suspect’s identity in the footage.
Authorities said four units were damaged, displacing three families. The Red Cross is helping those affected.
Wiley’s family has set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses.
The case remains under investigation, and anyone with information is asked to contact the DeKalb County Police Department.