Suspect arrested after man's remains found in burned Mississippi home

SMITH COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) — A man has been arrested after human remains were found in a burned home in Smith County.

Smith County Sheriff Joel Houston said crews responded to a house fire on SCR 558 in the Homewood community on May 3, 2024.

According to Houston, the owner, Frank Black, was missing and believed to still be inside the burning structure. Once the fire was extinguished, crews searched the home and discovered Black's remains.

The State Fire Department and Smith County investigators recovered evidence at the scene.

On May 13, the sheriff said Billy Black was brought in for questioning, which resulted in his arrest and charge of nonresidential burglary for an unrelated incident.

Authorities continued to investigate the case, gathering more evidence and conducting interviews.

On June 18, 2024, Billy Black was charged with first-degree arson and first-degree murder in the case.

“This type of case can sometimes be a lengthy process and I want to thank the public for their patience and assistance while we worked diligently on this horrific case.” If you have any information regarding this case that may be helpful to you, please call the Sheriff’s Office at 601-782-4531,” Houston said.