Lincoln County man charged with setting house on fire; saying ‘bad things happened there’

LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – A Lincoln County man has been charged with setting a house on fire east of Lincolnton, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

On Friday, August 13, deputies were called to Jenkins Road after the Lincoln County Communications Center received a report about a shirtless man walking around the area saying he was going to burn a house down.

Upon arrival, deputies found the home in flames and firefighters and EMS at the scene. A short time later, deputies spoke with Jonathan William Elmore, 36, of Lincolnton, who reportedly admitted he started the fire inside the home. Elmore was taken to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office where he gave a detailed account of how he started the fire in numerous areas of the home. 

He told detectives that he started the fire because, “The house needed to be condemned and bad things happened there.” The home was unoccupied at the time of the fire.  

Elmore has been charged with second-degree arson. He has been placed in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $25,000 secured bond.