Sheriff: Man burns home after heated argument with girlfriend
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BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A Benton County man will go before a judge Wednesday morning on charges that he not only beat his girlfriend and killed her dog but burned down the house they called home. County deputies say they thought they were just responding to a domestic call but knew something wasn’t right when a fire call came in for that same address just six minutes later. “Before they could make the scene, we got a second call the residence was on fire,” Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher said. The home at 350 Mountain Creek Road in Camden was left in ashes. The sheriff said it was the result of a violent argument. “The argument had heated up to the point where they got into it and he struck her a few times,” Christopher said. “She then went to the neighbors and told them he was going to burn everything they had.” David Dodd is now behind bars. “I’ve lived up here for over 20 years, and this is the first time I’ve heard of anyone getting to the point where they burn their house down,” neighbor William Maennche said. According to investigators, Dodd poured paint thinner inside the house before igniting it. “He said he was trying to build a fire in the furnace to knock the chill out of the house,” Christopher said. “It was 70 degrees outside.” Deputies say Dodd had been drinking before setting the fire. “Within minutes, the house was fully engulfed in flames, burning the house, the car and their pet that was inside the home,” Christopher said. Dodd is also charged with public intoxication and intentionally killing an animal. More charges could be filed, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
