PULASKI (WSLS 10) - Deputies charged a Pulaski County man with first-degree murder after finding a burned body in a house fire late last month.
Daniel Ray James, 51, of Dublin, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Roger Roope, as well as arson and other related felonies.
On Wednesday morning, July 20, Pulaski County firefighters found a very badly burned body in a house fire in the Dublin area.
Although the body has not yet been identified, it's believed to be the owner, 67-year-old Roger Warren Roope. The body was discovered in the living room badly burned after entry was made into the home, according to the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office.
The fire fatality investigation turned into a suspicious death investigation when the sheriff's office was notified that the deceased person had sustained a gunshot wound.
An extensive search of the fire scene and surrounding area which included removing large amounts of burned debris from the scene by trained sheriff's and fire investigators, no weapon was located near the victim. At this point, the sheriff's office says the suspicious death investigation became a homicide investigation.
Investigators spent numerous hours sifting through burned piles of debris, and at one point sheriff's office personnel had the grass and immediate yard that was up to 5-feet tall mowed and that area was searched thoroughly. With no crime scene evidence or witness statements, investigators began to establish a timeline detailing the victim's last contacts and movements. They found the deceased, who lived alone, had limited contact outside of his small family and his home.
Using this timeline, investigators expanded the circle of contacts and eventually found a person of interest the victim had contact with in March of this year.
Following a number of interviews and following up on leads generated by sheriff's office investigators working at times in three counties, an arrest was made Friday night, July 29.
Pulaski County Sheriff's personnel, assisted by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, located and arrested James. He was at a residence in the Pilot section of Montgomery County.
The sheriff's office says additional charges are pending against James.
He is being held in the New River Valley Regional Jail without bond.