‘It’s terrible’: Family, neighbors mourn victims of triple homicide

EARLE, AR (WMC) - A man, a pregnant woman and 5-year-old were found dead in a burning home in Earle, Arkansas Monday morning, and investigators said it was no accident.

You can see the severe damage to the trailer where the three died.

Investigators ruled the deaths a homicide, and we’ve been told they may be close to making an arrest.

“It’s a terrible thing. I mean you know that’s about all I can say,” said Robert Perkins. “It’s terrible.”

Perkins is the cousin of one of the victims, 42-year-old Kendrick Jones.

Jones, 25-year-old Chassidy Brown and her 5-year-old son Josiah all died inside the badly burned home.

Perkins’ cousin and friends say he was well known in the town of Earle because he cut people’s hair at their homes.

"He just cut everybody hair in town,” a neighbor said.

Friends say Chassidy moved back home from Jonesboro a month ago and was staying in her father’s house. He was in the hospital at the time of the fire. Friends said Chassidy has another child and was 8 months pregnant.

Friends say Kendrick Jones was a friend of Chassidy, but he did not date her.

"That’s the first time of me knowing him down there,” a neighbor said.

Investigators say fire crews were called to the home around 12:30 Monday morning. When they got there, they discovered the bodies inside.

The fire was intense, even melting part of a car in the driveway. Investigators are not saying how the victims died.

Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen said the person who committed the murders might not have realized the 5-year-old was in the house. He said investigators are focusing on an unnamed person of interest.

Allen would not say if the person of interest knew anyone in the home, but he said Earle residents should not be in fear.

Neighbors say they did not know Chassidy that well.

"I really don’t know too much of her but she was a good person,” a neighbor said.

Allen said investigators are waiting on autopsy results to determine the exact cause of death. He said he hopes to wrap up the investigation soon.

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