9-7-2007 Tennessee See UPDATEInvestigators say two Scott County men took the law into their own hands. They admitted to setting a fire that killed a woman.
Detectives say 39-year-old Gary Sellers and 37-year-old Robert Bell were upset about a neighbor's child porn charges.
Police say the suspects went to Timothy and Melissa Chandler's home at 295 Butler Lane the day before the fire and yelled horrible things.
Melissa heard it, but no one expected the men would go back and set their home on fire.
"It was vigilante justice," said Scott County Sheriff Anthony Lay.
Friday morning Sheriff Lay announced the arrests of Sellers and Bell. The Scott County Sheriff's Department worked with the Tennessee Arson and Bomb Division to make the arrests.
"This is a prime example of how an innocent person has been fatally injured," added Sheriff Lay.
Investigators say Sellers and Bell admitted to torching the Chandler home after they learned Timothy was found with more than 900 pictures of pornographic images of children.
"I really wish it wasn't me who got out," Timothy Chandler said. "I wish it was her. She didn't deserve that."
Timothy spoke to Ten News earlier this week about the fire that took his wife's life. He had a gut feeling it was revenge.
According to investigators he was right.
"I can't understand why anyone would set fire to someone's home not knowing who was in there," Timothy Chandler said. "My son could have been in there. There could have been two people dead, at least."
Detectives credit a neighbor who spotted the fire from his home then broke down the Chandler's back door with saving Timothy's life.
"I busted a big enough hole through the door. The husband crawled through, and when he got out we finally got something to bust the door down with," Alferd Butler said. "He went back in and got her."
They performed CPR, but the smoke was too much. Melissa died at the hospital.
A neighbor who did not want to be identified can't believe two men who live just feet away could be responsible.
"It's unbelievable. Things like this don't happen here," the neighbor said. "Everybody takes care of everybody. Nobody hurts anybody. I don't believe they would do something like that."
Both Sellers and Bell are being held on a $1 million bond. Their next court date is September 12th. Timothy Chandler is expected to face the pornography charges in early October.
PREVIOUS: "Vigilante justice:" arrests made in suspicious house fire fatality
Gary Sellers and Robert Bell now face a host of charges for the death of Melissa Chandler in a fire at the Chandler home, in what Sheriff Anthony Lay called a case of "vigilante justice" over Timothy Chandler's arrest on child porn charges.
Melissa Chandler died in a fire September 2nd, just weeks after her husband Timothy was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Scott County Sheriff Anthony Lay said Gary Sellers and Robert Bell set that fire at the Chandler home as a form of vigilante justice. The two men lived in the neighborhood and were upset about Chandler's arrest. The sheriff said they yelled derogatory comments at the house September 1st and set the fire early in the morning of September 2nd.
Sellers and Bell are charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, aggravated arson, arson, and criminal conspiracy. Both are held on a $1 million bond. ..more.. by Robin Murdoch, Reporter
Scott County Murder
Scott County (WVLT) -- Scott County authorities have made two arrests related to a Scott County fire that destroyed the home of Timothy and Melissa Chandler.
The fire also claimed Melissa's life.
We talked to residents in Scott County, and we learned that their may have been a motive and about one man who came to the rescue, saving a second life that could have easily been taken in the fire.
"Yes, I'd do it for anybody," said Alferd Butler who pulled his neighbor, Timothy Chandler, from his burning home.
Butler is a life-long Scott County resident, but today he is being called a hero for coming to his neighbor's rescue.
"I had seen it flashing in my window," he said. "I just saw the lights flashing and I got up, looked out and saw the house burning and the porch burning on fire."
Butler says he was acting strictly on instincts.
"I just went down and started breaking the back door down trying to get them out," he said.
Butler was risking his life for neighbors he hardly knew.
"I mostly got the door busted, a big enough hole in it and he crawled through and got out," Butler said.
The homeowner, Timothy Chandler, then went back for his wife Melissa.
"He pulled her to the door," he said, "and we pulled her on outside."
Timothy survived, but Melissa did not.
Two arrests were made in the case this morning by Scott County Detectives and Tennessee Arson and Bomb agents.
Gary Sellers, 39, and Robert Bell, 37, both of Helenwood, live near the Tunnel Hill Area of Oneida and are charged with arson and first degree murder.
This blue house that sits atop a hill overlooking the Chandler's belongs to Sellers.
Bell had been staying with friends just up the hollow from where the Chandler's home once stood.
Authorities think that might explain the motive of Timothy Chandler's murder.
"We had actually arrested him on some pornography pictures of children," said Scott County Sheriff Anthony Lay. "It led them to want to rid them of the neighborhood."
Lay says Sellers and Bell then took matters into their own hands.
"It was vigilante justice," Sheriff Lay said. "This is a prime example of how an innocent person has been fatally injured."
Bell has a prior record but Sellers does not.
Both are being held in the Scott County jail, each under a $1 Million bond.
A preliminary hearing is set for the both accused men on Wednesday in Scott County Court. ..more.. by
2 men plead not guilty in fire that killed Scott Co. woman
10-8-2007 Tennessee
HUNTSVILLE (AP) -- Two men accused of setting a fatal fire at the home of a man sentenced for having child pornography have pleaded not guilty.
Robert Bell and Gary Sellers pleaded not guilty in a Scott County courthouse to charges of aggravated arson and first-degree murder.
Both men remain in custody on bonds of $250,000 each.
On the same day as the fire, September 2, Timothy Chandler, whose wife, Melissa, was killed, pleaded guilty to one charge of sex exploitation of a minor for images of child pornography found on his computer.
He was sentenced to five years on probation but will serve no jail time.
Timothy Chandler was also ordered to pay court costs and register as a sex offender. ..more.. by WATE6
Scott County Murder
Scott County (WVLT) -- Scott County authorities have made two arrests related to a Scott County fire that destroyed the home of Timothy and Melissa Chandler.
The fire also claimed Melissa's life.
We talked to residents in Scott County, and we learned that their may have been a motive and about one man who came to the rescue, saving a second life that could have easily been taken in the fire.
"Yes, I'd do it for anybody," said Alferd Butler who pulled his neighbor, Timothy Chandler, from his burning home.
Butler is a life-long Scott County resident, but today he is being called a hero for coming to his neighbor's rescue.
"I had seen it flashing in my window," he said. "I just saw the lights flashing and I got up, looked out and saw the house burning and the porch burning on fire."
Butler says he was acting strictly on instincts.
"I just went down and started breaking the back door down trying to get them out," he said.
Butler was risking his life for neighbors he hardly knew.
"I mostly got the door busted, a big enough hole in it and he crawled through and got out," Butler said.
The homeowner, Timothy Chandler, then went back for his wife Melissa.
"He pulled her to the door," he said, "and we pulled her on outside."
Timothy survived, but Melissa did not.
Two arrests were made in the case this morning by Scott County Detectives and Tennessee Arson and Bomb agents.
Gary Sellers, 39, and Robert Bell, 37, both of Helenwood, live near the Tunnel Hill Area of Oneida and are charged with arson and first degree murder.
This blue house that sits atop a hill overlooking the Chandler's belongs to Sellers.
Bell had been staying with friends just up the hollow from where the Chandler's home once stood.
Authorities think that might explain the motive of Timothy Chandler's murder.
"We had actually arrested him on some pornography pictures of children," said Scott County Sheriff Anthony Lay. "It led them to want to rid them of the neighborhood."
Lay says Sellers and Bell then took matters into their own hands.
"It was vigilante justice," Sheriff Lay said. "This is a prime example of how an innocent person has been fatally injured."
Bell has a prior record but Sellers does not.
Both are being held in the Scott County jail, each under a $1 Million bond.
A preliminary hearing is set for the both accused men on Wednesday in Scott County Court. ..more.. by
"Vigilante justice" suspects won't face death
12-3-2007 Tennessee
The district attorney will not pursue the death penalty for two Scott County men accused of setting a fatal fire at the home of a man accused of child pornography.
Robert Bell and Gary Sellers have both pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated arson and first-degree murder.
Authorities allege Bell and Sellers set fire to a home on September 2nd to target Timothy Chandler, a man accused of possessing child pornography.
Chandler escaped, but his wife, Melissa, died shortly after the fire.
Timothy Chandler later pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual exploitation of a minor and was sentenced to five years of supervised probation. He also was required to register as a sex offender.
In court Monday, prosecutors said they will ask for life in prison with the possibility of parole.
The trial date for Bell and Sellers is set for April 10, 2008. ..more.. by WBIR.com
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