24-year-old Liam Matthews has been charged with the murder of Lucus Scutt, who died in a devastating house fire in Cowes last month.
It was during the early hours of Friday 26th June that emergency services were called to an address on Ronsons Close in Cowes, where a blaze had broken out at a terraced property.
Although 2 people were able to flee from the address, it was later discovered that a man had sadly perished in the fire. 24-year-old Lucas Scutt was found deceased in a bedroom on the upper floor of the property.
Due to the circumstances of the fire, which appears to have started at the rear of the address, an arson probe was initially launched. This soon turned into a murder investigation.
Now, following a detailed investigation by homicide detectives from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, Liam Matthews, of Spinnaker Road in Cowes, has been charged with murder and arson with intent to endanger life.
He has also been charged with failing to comply with a Section 49 notice to disclose the key to protected information.
Matthews was initially bailed until September, but the evidence obtained by Police had led to a charge being authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service.
The 24-year-old has been remanded in custody to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court tomorrow morning (Saturday).
A second 24-year-old man from Cowes, arrested on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life, has now been released from bail and will face no further action in relation to those offences.
A 59-year-old man from Cowes, also arrested on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life, was previously released from bail and will face no further action in relation to those offences.
However, a 28-year-old man from Ventnor, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, arson with intent to endanger life, and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, remains on bail until 27th September, to allow for further enquiries to be carried out.
The family of Lucas Scutt paid tribute to him earlier this week.
