The Washington County sheriff said the accused man was found nearby watching the blaze.
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. — Deputies used a drone and searched fields near a burning Washington County home April 9 before arresting a man accused of setting his mother and the house on fire, authorities said.
The search followed an emergency call from a neighbor’s house after the victim escaped the flames. Dustin Tayler Machen, 32, is charged with attempted first-degree murder and four other felonies. Sheriff Keith Sexton said the case began when the woman tried to evict Machen, then ended with a gasoline attack, a destroyed phone, a fully engulfed home and a suspect found nearby.
The response started with a report that a person and a house were on fire at a residence on South Pickens Bridge Road. Deputies arrived to find the structure already consumed by flames, officials said. The victim was not trapped inside when deputies spoke with her. She had reached a neighbor’s house and called 911 after leaving the burning residence. Investigators said she reported that her son had thrown gasoline on her and the house as she tried to leave. She also said he destroyed her cellphone to stop her from calling for help. The woman suffered burns to her arms and was taken for treatment.
The search for Machen unfolded around the fire scene. Sexton said deputies deployed a drone, which located a backpack containing personal items and other belongings. Officers then found Machen in a field near the home. “Deputies happened to see him,” Sexton said. He said Machen was “out in the field just watching the fire.” The sheriff’s account placed Machen close to the burning house after the alleged attack and after the victim had already fled. Officials have not released body camera footage, drone footage or a detailed map of the search. They also have not publicly said how far Machen was from the residence when deputies took him into custody.
The fire scene itself is central to the case. Authorities said the house was completely engulfed when deputies arrived, and local reports later described it as destroyed. Investigators have not publicly released a final fire report, including any lab results tied to gasoline or other accelerants. Still, the victim’s statement, the condition of the home and the alleged destruction of her phone form the public basis for the charges. The use of a drone also showed how deputies worked the area beyond the burning structure, looking not only for a suspect but for property that might connect him to the scene. The backpack could become evidence if prosecutors show it belonged to Machen or contained items tied to the alleged attack.
Authorities say the motive was tied to Machen being forced out of the home. “She was in the process of evicting her son, Dustin Machen,” Sexton said. He said Machen left the residence, came back with a container of gasoline and poured it on the victim and the house. Officials have not publicly said whether the eviction had reached court, whether the woman owned the home or whether Machen had any legal claim to live there. Those details may matter in the aggravated burglary charge, but the attempted murder and arson allegations rest on the act prosecutors say happened that morning. The woman’s escape to a neighbor is the reason investigators had her account so soon after the fire.
Machen’s charges cover a wide range of alleged conduct. Attempted first-degree murder is the most serious count and accuses him of trying to kill the victim. Attempted especially aggravated kidnapping suggests prosecutors believe the victim’s freedom to leave was attacked in a way linked to serious injury or a deadly risk. Aggravated arson addresses the burning of the home. Aggravated burglary and interference with a 911 call add accusations tied to the location and the destroyed phone. Machen was booked into the Washington County Detention Center, and a judge later set bond at $2 million. He is presumed innocent unless proved guilty.
The court case has already taken a turn. Machen appeared April 23 for a preliminary hearing, but the state requested a postponement for a mental evaluation. The request followed public references by the sheriff and prosecutors to prior domestic violence allegations involving Machen and his mother. Local court coverage reported that prosecutors mentioned a previous domestic case in which Machen had been found not guilty by reason of insanity. The current evaluation request does not decide the case. It delays the next hearing while the court gathers information that may affect how the case proceeds. No completed evaluation had been publicly reported as of May 4.
The victim’s recovery is another unanswered part of the story. Authorities said she had burns to her arms and was transported to a hospital. Later coverage said she was flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her name has not been released, and officials have not provided a full update on her condition. The house was heavily damaged or destroyed, leaving investigators to rely on the physical fire scene, the victim’s account, the neighbor’s 911 call, the destroyed phone allegation, the drone search and Machen’s location after the blaze. Together, those details form the public record now moving into court.
The investigation remains active through the court process. Machen’s next major milestone is expected after the mental evaluation, when Washington County court can reset the delayed preliminary hearing on the five felony charges.
Author note: Last updated May 4, 2026.