Man’s Body Discovered in Burned Home
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Jackson Firefighters returned to a north Jackson house fire they extinguished last Wednesday; after being contacted by police who had been called by the home owner’s family because they had not heard from him since last Wednesday. On December 7, a massive house fire on Chickering Road took fire officials several hours to control. Jackson’s Fire Chief Maxie Stewart said one crew was attacking the fire, while another crew was doing a search. But for five days a man’s body remained inside the burned out house. Firefighters did not search the home again until Monday; after Jackson Police asked if they had found anything suspicious during their investigation. A missing persons report filed Friday by homeowner Jame Divine’s family is what prompted the Monday search. Investigators believe the person killed did not die from the fire. “We were able to see trauma, which would indicate that he was a victim of homicide,” said Lt. Tyreece Miller of the Jackson Police Department. Metro narcotics officers were called out after what appeared to be meth making materials found inside the home, but investigators have not said what, if any, role that played in the fire or homicide. Chief Stewart also said the house was a mess, hard to see, calling the home’s owners possible hoarders. Investigators have not definitely said the body is that of James Devine, but do say it is the same race and approximate age of the missing man.
