A house fire that initial reports said killed three people in the Washington County town of Clear Spring earlier this month has now developed into a triple murder investigation, with Maryland State Police announcing four arrests on Saturday. Authorities say the blaze, which tore through a home on the 13000 block of National Pike in the early hours of Nov. 18, claimed the lives of two women and a man, all residents of the home.
The four individuals arrested in connection with the case include Darnell Hawkins, 47, of Baltimore; Tony Smith, 43, of Hagerstown; Maurice Mouzon, 46, of Baltimore; and Kierra White, 35, of Glen Burnie. Arrests were made over the course of several days, between Nov. 21 and Friday.
Hawkins and Smith are facing the most serious charges: three counts of first-degree murder, first-degree arson, and related offenses. Meanwhile, Mouzon has been charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, distribution of narcotics, and a handgun violation. White, the only woman among the suspects, has been charged with acting as an accessory after the fact to murder.
The victims have been identified by police as Brittany Ray, 31; Harold Flichman, 36; and Brianna Mae Weishaar, 25. Authorities say all three lived inside the house at the time of the fire. Early investigation efforts revealed disturbing details that prompted law enforcement to treat the fire as suspicious rather than accidental. A K-9 unit reportedly discovered traces of accelerants at the scene, and investigators noted trauma on the victims that appeared inconsistent with fire-related injuries.
“Investigators believe this was not a random act of violence,” Maryland State Police stated on Saturday, underscoring the targeted nature of the crime. Autopsy results remain pending, as state police continue to await findings from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, which could provide critical insights into how the victims were harmed.
The response to the fire was extensive. A total of 60 firefighters from 13 different fire services across the region were called to the scene. They were able to bring the blaze under control within roughly half an hour. During the emergency response, two dogs were rescued from the burning home and were later taken to the SPCA for care.
All four suspects were held without bond and are currently being detained in separate facilities across Maryland, including the Baltimore County and Montgomery County detention centers, the Baltimore Central Booking Intake Facility, and the Washington County Detention Center.
The investigation remains active, and authorities warn that additional arrests are possible. Multiple agencies have joined in the ongoing probe, including the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hagerstown Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of the State’s Attorney in Washington County.
This case has sent shockwaves through the Clear Spring community, where residents are grappling with the loss of three local residents in what is now being treated as a deliberate and deadly act. Officials have urged anyone with additional information related to the incident to come forward as investigators continue to piece together the circumstances that led to the tragic and violent deaths.
