Miller County man charged with arson, accused of setting his mother’s house on fire

Briant Wyrick was charged with arson after firefighters responded to a residential fire on Oct. 22.

According to the probable cause statement, the property was a total loss and no physical evidence of origin was found after the fire was extinguished.

Investigators from the fire marshal’s office said surveillance video from a neighbor’s house showed a dark-colored car slowly approach the house, come to a complete stop for only a few seconds and then continue on.

According to the surveillance footage, the fire started shortly after the car was seen driving by the residence.

Days later, the investigators interviewed Wyrick’s mother, Tammy. She confessed that she was tired of an extreme rat infestation in her house and she wanted to burn the residence down. Tammy said she had gone to Briant’s house and asked him to move some furniture and asked if he would burn her house down.

Tammy told investigators she dropped Briant off in the alley behind the house, circled the block and picked him up at a church.

Briant also confessed to his involvement in the crime and showed investigators how he set the house on fire.