Fire strikes mobile home of Clarkson man who shot, killed daughter's boyfriend in December; theft and arson investigation underway

Thursday morning at 6:00, the Clarkson and Leitchfield Fire Departments, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office and EMS responded to 4374 Grayson Springs Road on the report of a structure fire.

Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters found a mobile home addition fully engulfed in flames, with heavy smoke coming from the trailer as well.

Firefighters had the majority of the blaze extinguished by 6:30, but several hot spots remained, along with heavy smoke throughout the structure. Those factors inhibited LFD and CFD’s ability to walk through the home looking for potential victims –when first responders arrived, there was no information on whether the mobile home’s occupant, Billy Joe Houchin, was inside the residence.

Shortly after firefighters found the mobile home to be clear of victims, though, Houchin arrived on the scene.

Houchin, who shot and killed his daughter’s boyfriend in a domestic disturbance on December 29 at another residence on Grayson Springs Road, walked through the mobile home and noticed several items missing from the residence.

At 8:25, Houchin, 46, requested Grayson County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Clay Boone return to the scene so he could report the thefts (Boone and Chief Deputy Jarrod Mudd had earlier arrived at the fire in the event a body was found inside the home).

The multiple thefts from inside the trailer raised suspicion that the fire, which clearly began in the addition attached to the back of the mobile home, was intentionally set to cover up the crime. According to Grayson County Sheriff Norman Chaffins, his office is investigating the thefts, with the Kentucky State Police Arson Unit handling the arson investigation.

After a death investigation into Houchin shooting and killing 31-year-old Stephen Waninger, conducted by Kentucky State Police Detective Scott Sharp, no charges were filed. KSP spokesman Jeff Gregory said at the time that Det. Sharp’s findings would be turned over to the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for review and possible presentation to the Grayson County Grand Jury.