Marion County investigators now see the person initially deemed a "person of interest" in a May 17 fatal fire at a Whitwell, Tenn., pawn shop as a suspect.
Valley Pawn Brokers owner Jerry Don Ridge was found dead in the back of his business in what officials have classified as a homicide. Ridge owned the business for 17 years. His body was found after the fire was extinguished.
As evidence is analyzed and reviewed by state and local investigators, Marion County Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnett said he now considers the former person of interest to be a suspect, but no one has been identified by name.
"We have a suspect and we're just waiting on physical evidence to come back before we go forward with the case," Burnett said Tuesday. The sheriff said "a whole lot" of evidence has been submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's crime lab for examination.
Burnett said there were indications that "an accelerant" was used in the fire, but more detailed results are pending.
"It takes time, because it's the only lab in the state of Tennessee and every agency uses them," he said. "I hope to know something in the next week or two."
The TBI has remained tight-lipped on how Ridge, 72, died or whether he was alive at the time of the fire.
"Our investigation is active and ongoing, but beyond that we have no additional information to provide," TBI spokesman Josh DeVine said Tuesday.
The May 17 fire was reported by a passerby around 4:30 p.m. CDT and firefighters, some of whom were at a nearby city meeting, were able to respond quickly to battle the flames. Whitwell City Hall is just a half-mile away.
Firefighters found the doors to the building locked when they arrived and had to force their way inside, officials said. Most damage to the building was caused by smoke.
Investigators are preparing the case for a grand jury presentation.
"I hope we've got enough evidence by August to present to the grand jury," he said.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com, on Twitter @BenBenton, on Facebook at www.face book.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.