Robbery and drug use may have led to the deaths of a Cocke County couple and their young son.
The bodies of a man, woman, and child were discovered after a weekend fire in the mobile home located on Henderson Rd. Terri Henderson and Sherman Ellison lived with their 2-year-old son, Riley, and they are believed to be the victims of the fire.
Two suspects, their neighbor, Adam Lawton Edwards, 43, and Marsha Gail Shelton, 29, were arrested Tuesday following a chase near the Tennessee/North Carolina border. They are in custody in Haywood County on warrants for violation of probation.
Cocke County Sheriff Armando Fontes said Edwards and Shelton are believed to be responsible for the fire and the deaths, but they have not been charged. After their investigation is complete, the evidence will be presented to a grand jury to determine charges.
Sheriff Fontes said the two suspects have a history of drug use, and they believe they were using drugs when the crime was committed. Fontes would not release how the three victims were killed.
An extradition hearing for the two suspects has been set for June 6 in Haywood County, however Sheriff Fontes thought that Shelton will waive extradition, so he may be able to send deputies to pick her up as early as Wednesday.
Fontes said Edwards will likely fight the extradition, so it will likely require goveror's warrants to bring him back to Tennessee.