LOWNDES COUNTY: What began as an arson case in Lowndes County has now escalated to a homicide investigation after authorities discovered a victim who was killed before a home was set ablaze.
Lowndes County investigators shared Monday that the remains found inside a burned residence on Rivers Drive in Hayneville are believed to be those of a woman from Tallassee. Officials say the victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was already deceased before the fire was intentionally started.
The incident occurred on Sunday, Nov. 16, though some court documents list the date as Saturday, Nov. 15.
According to newly released details, the suspect is accused of shooting the victim, applying accelerant, and then setting the home on fire in an effort to destroy evidence.
Fire crews from White Hall and Fort Deposit were first on scene, with the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office later joining the investigation. A fire K-9 alerted to evidence of arson, prompting investigators to treat the case as suspicious from the beginning.
Denisha Lyles, a Tallassee resident who is believed to have been murdered at a home on Rivers Drive in Lowndes County
