TABOR CITY, NC (WWAY) -- An autopsy has positively identified the man found dead in a suspected arson in Tabor City yesterday.
Assistant Columbus County Coroner William Hannah says the victim is Eugene T. McQueen.
McQueen was found inside his home at 311 W. 2nd St. early yesterday morning. Hannah said it's still unclear how McQueen died, and that it could take weeks to figure that out.
Investigators were called to the home for a report of a fire just before 2 a.m. At the time Columbus County deputies and Horry County (SC) Police were in the area searching for Dion Brown, who was wanted for a murder Sunday in Loris, SC. They say when they got to the home, they saw Brown running out of it. Deputies chased him into the woods, where they say he shot at deputies, who returned fire killing Brown. Investigators say one of Brown's shots hit a deputy, but the officer was wearing a bullet-proof vest, which saved him.
Investigators think Brown set the fire at McQueen's house. They are also looking into whether Brown is connected to a string of other crimes in the area earlier this week.
