Local News

Arson During Party Leads to 15 Attempted Murder Charges

A Scotland Neck man was charged Friday with 15 counts of attempted murder after a house where a party was going on was set on fire, authorities said.

Posted Updated

SCOTLAND NECK, N.C. — A local man was charged Friday with 15 counts of attempted murder after a house where a party was going on was set on fire, authorities said.

Terry Otis Jones, 39, also is charged with attempted arson. He is being held in the Halifax County Jail on a $1 million bond.

Authorities said Jones and several others had been drinking on April 22 and wound up at a residence on Henderson Farm Road.  After an altercation between Jones and females at the gathering, Jones left the residence and attempted to set it on fire in two separate places, authorities said.

The homeowner was able to put the fire out with house water. The building sustained minimal damage. The phone lines had also been cut, authorities said.

Two of Jones' children were in the house with 13 other people at the time of the fire, authorities said.

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.