INDIANAPOLIS — A 27-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the death of a man found shot inside an Indianapolis home after a fire, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Brittany Snelbaker was charged Tuesday with murder and arson resulting in serious bodily injury, according to online court records.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Charles Burgess, Jr., 24, was found dead by Indianapolis Fire Department firefighters after a fire on Nov. 5 in the 3600 block of East Vermont Street. An autopsy found his death was a homicide due to a gunshot wound, sharp force injury, blunt force injury and thermal injury.
During the investigation, detectives were able to identify Snelbaker as a person of interest in the case.
When detectives interviewed Snelbaker on Nov. 19, she told them at first she didn't know what happened to Burgess, according to the affidavit. She later told detectives a male gave her a gun and she fired one shot.
After she fired the shot, she told detectives she "freaked out" and gave the gun back to the male, according to the affidavit. She then got a gas can and used it to start a fire in the back of the house.
Detectives learned through the investigation Snelbaker possibly previously told Burgees he owed her money for living on the other side of the double residence, according to the affidavit.
A pretrial conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Jan. 27, according to online court records.
