Tennessee mom set on fire by vindictive 32yo son after she tried to evict him

A 32-year-old man has been taken into custody after a home burnt down at a property in Tennessee. Dustin Tayler Machen allegedly set fire to his own mother and her house after she attempted to evict him from her property.

According to a press release from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called out during the early hours on Thursday April 9 after reports of a fire at a property on Pickens Bridge Road. When the authorities arrived they found the home was completely engulfed in flames and a victim suffering from burns.

Police tended to the victim who it would later be revealed was the mother of the suspected arsonist. She claimed Machen had thrown gas over her and the house as she attempted to flee. He then lit the fire causing the property to go up in flames. Luckily the victim survived the attack although, according to the press release, she sustained burns to her arms and was transported to a local hospital.

Dustin Tayler Machen allegedly set fire to his own mother

It didn’t take long for deputies to start piecing together what had happened. The woman, who was identified by WJHL and WCYB as his mother, had been trying to leave the property after a confrontation between the two. The mother had allegedly been trying to evict her son according to County Sheriff Keith Sexton. 

It is not clear why the mother was trying to evict her son but the sheriff stated that Machen already has previous domestic violence charges against him which relate to his mother. Whatever the case, it seems his mom was trying to get him out of the property and Machen did not take being evicted all too well.

The difficult conversation between mother and son evidently went down badly as Sexton stated that Machen left the residence before coming back with a container of gasoline and he “proceeded to pour the gas on the victim and the house.” Not only that but Machen also allegedly destroyed the victim’s phone so that she wouldn’t be able to call 911.

After the fire broke out the victim was able to get out and run to a neighbor’s property where she was able to call the authorities for help.

As for Machen, he was located nearby and arrested. He has since been charged with attempted first degree murder, Attempted Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Arson, Aggravated Burglary, Interference with a 911 call. He is currently being held in the Washington County Detention Center without bond.