Court document reveals new details in alleged Copperas Cove arson

UPDATE

25 News has obtained the arrest affidavit in connection to the arson causing bodily injury/death charge for Devon Bellows.

The document shows that following the explosion at the home May 24 in Copperas Cove, police said officers found that the owner, Bellows' mother, and her son, were away from the house at the time.

Copperas Cove police found that Landon Lower was inside or near the residence at the time, and died May 28 from his injuries in the blast.

Police later found gas cans and items removed from Bellows' bedroom near the house.

"It appeared that someone had taken the time to remove items they felt the house's residents would not want to be destroyed," reads the affidavit.

When authorities asked Bellows why Lower was at the residence, she said that he had given the key, but claimed she didn't know why he was there at 2 a.m. in the morning, the affidavit states.

"Once [police were] able to independently examine the call log, it was clear that she and called Landon call six times the morning of the explosion," reads the affidavit.

Bellows texted Landon several times the night before the explosion, and the morning it happened.

"During this conversation, at 4:08 a.m. the morning of the fire, Devon texted, “Landon please come on. This is our last chance. It will take you like five minutes and then go do whatever you are doing,"" according to the cell phone records.

"If you didn't want to do it, you should have just said so. I don't understand why you haven't done it already.” The affidavit shows Devon followed this message by saying, “Please tell me you are good and it’s done?," the messages continue.

According to police, Bellows remotely erased data from her cell phone that was seized, and spoke of the planned arson with another inmate on recorded phone calls.

"During one of their phone calls on May 12, 2024, the inmate commented, 'If I don’t get out in time, get Landon to do it,'” reads the court document. "'The inmate also stated that “the job” would “be easy, as long as he gets in and out.'"

He also told Bellows over the telephone to give Landon half of the money she would get from the planned job.

UPDATE

In an updated release from the Copperas Cove Fire Department, Bellows' bond was set at $210,000.

The investigation is ongoing.

ORIGINAL STORY

The Coryell County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that an arrest has been made in connection with a deadly home explosion in Copperas Cove.

Coryell County Sheriff's Office

Devon Nicole Bellows, 42, was charged with arson causing bodily injury or death.

She was also charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence — she's being held on bond.

Back in May, one person sustained injuries from the explosion and was taken to a local hospital. He was 34-year-old Landon Michael Lower of Killeen, and later died four days later from his injuries.

25 News first broke the news Friday, May 24.

This is a developing story and 25 News will continue to provide updates as they become available.