ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — Authorities have arrested a man for a "suspicious" fire that happened at a house early Wednesday morning in Hardin County.
Dustin Caudill, 45, is charged with arson, murder, robbery, wanton endangerment, tampering with physical evidence and possession of a handgun by a prohibited person.
Elizabethtown Police Department (EPD) Public Affairs Officer Chris Denham said two victims were inside the residence; police later identified them as 41-year-old Blake France and 43-year-old Anthony Garrett. Both victims had gunshot wounds.
According to police, Caudill confessed to shooting the victims and then intentionally setting the fire that broke out on Henon Lane.
Denham said there were some witness reports stating a man was seen fleeing the scene in a car, driving at a high rate of speed, around the time of the fire.
The man was found within an hour-and-a-half at a motel on East Dixie Avenue, he added.
Denham said video surveillance from the location showed Caudill getting out of the vehicle and throwing away a handgun.
During their investigation, investigators said they found some of the personal belongings of the victims inside Caudill's room.
Police said Caudill also confessed he stole the victims' wallets and threw them away in a gas station trash can.
Caudill is expected in court Thursday morning.
Denham said the police department is aware of speculation on social media, but said it's nothing more than rumors at this time.
"I was asleep, I heard sirens, I heard them as they were coming and as they got closer, I got up, and police and firetrucks were all lined up through here," Robert Taylor, a neighbor on Henon Lane, said.
Taylor has lived in Elizabethtown his whole life and never seen anything like this, saying there were several trucks lined up and down the street. He's surprised the tragedy happened in his neighborhood.
"It always scares you when it's that close to home because you don't know what's going on, but thankfully we have our emergency officials," he said.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.