Officials: Video evidence suggests fire that destroyed Mississippi home of police captain may be result of arson

Authorities are investigating after video evidence suggests that a fire that destroyed a Mississippi house of an area police captain may have been deliberately started.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office and Natchez Police Department are requesting the public’s assistance in investigating a potential arson case at the home of Vidalia Police Department Patrol Captain Craig Godbold. The incident occurred late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

The residence on Creek Bend Road in Natchez was engulfed in flames around midnight. The fire is believed to have started under the carport while Captain Godbold and his family were inside the house. Fortunately, everyone escaped safely.

Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten stated that Captain Godbold contacted him on Saturday morning regarding the fire, providing video evidence suggesting that the fire may have been deliberately set. “We agreed to do the investigation but we will be conducting the investigation with the assistance of Natchez Police Department and every other person that lives in this neighborhood,” Patten said. “After reviewing the video… it is pretty clear that this was arson and the matter will be investigated as such with additional charges possible once we are able to determine a suspect in this case.”

Natchez Fire Chief Robert Arrington commented on the origins of the fire, saying, “There is no way to know for certain. We do know for certain that the fire started near the cars but I can’t speak to the cause.” He added that the state fire marshal will begin an investigation on Monday. “We’re pooling all of our resources together,” Arrington said regarding the collaboration between fire, police, and sheriff’s departments.

Sheriff Patten is appealing to the public, particularly residents of the Creek Bend Road area, for any footage or information related to the incident. Those with doorbell or security camera footage, or any relevant details, are urged to contact the sheriff’s office at 601-442-2752 or Crime Stoppers at 888-442-5001 to remain anonymous.

“There were four adults and two children in that house when this individual did what he did,” Patten emphasized. “This is not the type we want roaming our streets and we need everyone to speak up if they know something.”

Patten praised the neighborhood’s history of assisting in past investigations and called for their continued support. “This particular neighborhood has been instrumental in helping us to solve crimes in the past and has always been willing to participate and provide information and we’re asking the same in reference to this heinous act. No amount of information is too big or too small. We want them to flood the sheriff’s office with information so that we can get this individual off the streets.”