Man charged with murder, arson in apartment fire

WILLIAMSON, W.Va. – A West Virginia man has been charged with setting fire to an apartment building and killing a man whose remains were later found in the rubble, authorities said.

James Church, 32, of Williamson was charged with several counts including murder and arson and arrest warrants were issued for two others, WSAZ-TV reported.

Witnesses told investigators that three people assaulted someone in one of the apartments and then ran off right before flames were seen, according to an arrest report in Mingo County Magistrate Court.

Williamson police said they found the remains after crews put out the massive blaze, which injured two firefighters and three residents.

The victim, whose name hasn’t been released, was beaten and stabbed and investigators believe the suspects started the fire to destroy evidence, police said.

Online jail records don’t say whether Church has an attorney.