A Lauderdale County Man Sets House on Fire Before Committing Suicide

According to Shoals Insider, authorities in Lauderdale County are investigating a terrible event in which a man set fire to his home before committing suicide inside a vehicle near the house. According to Lauderdale County Sheriff Joe Hamilton, emergency personnel received a call about the fire Monday at 11:40 AM. When firemen arrived at the scene, the residence on County Road 8 in the Waterloo community was already on fire. Sheriff Hamilton claimed that there were no recorded injuries as a result of the fire. However, authorities discovered the body of Douglas Trent Stephens, 59, inside a vehicle near the property. According to law enforcement sources, Stephens died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Firefighters from several volunteer departments, including Waterloo, Underwood-Petersville, Central, and Cloverdale, worked together to control and put out the fire.