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Man Arrested After Setting Two Houses On Fire To Kill 'Evil Spirits'

Last updated on Thursday, December 27, 2018

(WAYNESVILLE) - A Bartholomew County man was arrested Saturday morning after police say he admitted to burning down two Waynesville homes where his mother and three others were murdered on Mother’s Day weekend in 2015.

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Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff's Department

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers says deputies arrested 33-year-old Daniel Burton on arson charges after he told police he started the fires to "kill the evil spirits."

Firefighters were called to the home in the 2700 block of East Main Cross just before 7 a.m. Saturday morning. Firefighters who spoke with Burton found out that another house, in the 2600 block of East Main Cross was also on fire.

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Daniel Burton

Daniel Burton is the son of 53-year-old Katheryn Burton who was killed in the second home in May of 2013 along with her boyfriend 39-year-old Thomas Smith, Aaron Cross, and Shawn Burton both 41-years-old.

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Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff's Department

Daniel Burton, who was at work at the time of the murders, discovered the bodies.

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Samuel Sallee

Samuel Sallee was convicted of the four murders in 2015 and is serving four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. Sallee shot and killed the four people inside the home. Police believe the shootings may have been connected to a suspected meth drug deal. Sallee still denies involvement in the murders, claiming he was an undercover drug informant.

Sallee is appealing his conviction saying he was not adequately represented by his defense counsel.

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