CHARLOTTE — A man is accused of pouring gasoline inside his own home, which led to a fire and explosion that shook a Dilworth neighborhood last month.
According to court documents, Michael Barnette attempted to make the crime look like an accident.
However, investigators quickly realized the fire had been intentionally set.
Barnette fled North Carolina after the crime, and after a week on the run, he was eventually arrested in Chicago. He was extradited to the state on Thursday and is being held without bond.
Neighbors told police that the house had been up for sale, and at least one advised that he was having issues selling the home.
Henry Loosmore told Channel 9 that he has lived in the community for about 5 months.
He said he walks his dog every morning, and he’s thankful he wasn’t out that morning because he could have gotten killed.
For that reason alone, he doesn’t believe Barnette should ever get out of jail.
“I think he’s crazy. I think he’s very lucky that we weren’t walking about half an hour later; it would have killed a lot of people,” Loosmore said. I think he took everyone’s lives, and he didn’t care about the effect of this. It could have happened to anyone, so yeah.”
Neighbor Mealie McMurphy echoed similar sentiments regarding the situation.
“Well, it’s just inconceivable that someone would blow up their own house.”
McMurphy said she will never forget the sound of Barnette’s house exploding.
“I was awake, but I was in bed, and then just a huge boom. More than I’ve ever heard in my entire life,” McMurphy explained.
Barnette has been charged with first-degree arson, which carries a mandatory prison sentence of at least three years and a maximum of thirteen.
VIDEO: Owner of home in Dilworth explosion arrested in Chicago, charged as fugitive
©2025 Cox Media Group
