A Tennessee man is behind bars after a terrifying scene that investigators say unfolded when his own mother tried to kick him out — and it ended with her home up in flames.
Authorities say 32-year-old Dustin Tayler Machen was arrested in the early morning hours of April 9 after deputies rushed to a home on S. Pickens Bridge Road in Johnson City and found it completely engulfed in fire.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the situation escalated when Machen’s mother attempted to evict him. That’s when, investigators allege, he returned with gasoline and carried out a shocking attack.
Officials say Machen poured gas on his mother as she tried to escape the house, then smashed her cell phone to stop her from calling for help. Despite the chaos, the woman managed to flee and make it to a neighbor’s home, where she called 911. She suffered burns to her arms and was taken to a nearby hospital.
Sheriff Keith Sexton told local outlets the suspect had left the property, only to come back armed with fuel before allegedly setting both his mother and the house on fire.
The nightmare didn’t end there. Deputies later spotted Machen nearby — not fleeing, but allegedly standing in a field watching the blaze. Authorities had deployed a drone during the search, which helped locate a backpack containing his personal belongings before he was taken into custody.
Investigators also revealed this wasn’t the first time deputies had dealt with domestic issues involving Machen and his mother, citing prior related charges.
He is now facing a long list of serious charges, including attempted first-degree murder, attempted especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated arson, aggravated burglary, and interfering with a 911 call. He’s currently being held without bond.
It remains unclear whether he has an attorney to speak on his behalf.
Beat the schitt out of the sorry ass cocksucker!