Four adults, one juvenile arrested in serial arson sting

Knox County authorities have arrested four young adults and one juvenile in a multiple agency serial arson sting.

The string of fires started in mid-October in Northwest Knoxville. During the weekend before Halloween, fire crews responded to several nuisance fires involving piles of leaves, scarecrows and brush piles.

Since then, Knox County's Fire Investigator along with officials from the Knox County Fire Marshals Office studied the patterns of the fires. They also projected where and when the next fires might happened.

Investigators set up a sting Saturday morning. They spotted three fires and followed the suspects back to Strolling Drive where they made the arrests.    

Authorities arrested Devon Marie Daugherty, 19, Shelby McMillan, 19, Mathew Dilbeck, 20, and Derek Allen Belyea, 19, on multiple charges. A juvenile also faces charges but officials did not release his or her name. The group faces charges including arson, possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia.

All of the fires were within a five mile radius of Strolling Drive in Northwest Knoxville, where three of the suspects live. Knoxville Fire Department spokesperson D.J. Corcoran says the fires were becoming increasingly more bold.

Knoxville Fire Department's Arson Division, Knox County Fire Investigation Unit, Knox County Sheriff's Office and Knox County Fire Marshals Office worked together in this operation.