Shawn Fails. Courtesy of DeKalb County Police Department
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A suspect is in custody after a deadly apartment fire in DeKalb County that killed a woman and injured her son early Monday morning.
What we know:
The DeKalb County Police Department confirmed Tuesday that 44-year-old Shawn Fails was arrested by the Chambers County Sheriff’s Department during a traffic stop in Lanett, Alabama. He will be booked into the DeKalb County Jail and is expected to face charges of murder, aggravated assault, and arson.
The victim was identified earlier on Tuesday as 48-year-old Stephanie Wiley. Fire officials said Wiley was trapped on the second floor of her apartment at The Hills at Fairington Apartments when the blaze broke out around 1 a.m. Monday. She was found unresponsive in a bathroom, rushed to the hospital, and later pronounced dead.
Stephanie Wiley. Photo courtesy of GoFundMe
DeKalb police confirmed Fails was the victim's ex-boyfriend.
What they're saying:
Ring doorbell video captured a man appearing to ignite the fire. Neighbors told FOX 5 they believed they recognized the suspect, though officials have not confirmed his identity in the video. One neighbor, Freda Scott, described hearing Wiley’s screams before flames engulfed the building.
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Deadly arson caught on tape
A woman was killed, and her son was injured after fire at Hills at Fairington Apartments. Ring doorbell video shows a man allegedly igniting the blaze around 1 a.m. and neighbors tell FOX 5 they recognize the man. Four units damaged, three families displaced; Red Cross assisting.
"I could hear her screaming and hollering for her life," Scott said. "We see her in the window and then the screaming stopped. I haven’t been able to sleep—it’s in my head, and it’s really sad."
Scott’s unit was also damaged, but she said she has family she can stay with. Authorities said four units were affected, displacing three families. The Red Cross is assisting those impacted.
A man, believed to be Wiley’s son, managed to escape the fire by climbing out of a back window. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
What's next:
Investigators have not released details about a possible connection between Fails and Wiley. The case remains under investigation, and police are urging anyone with information to contact the DeKalb County Police Department.
The family has established a GoFundMe account to help pay for Wiley's funeral costs.