Hot House – A 29-year-old local man with prior convictions for both manslaughter and arson was arrested in another arson fire, this one on June 26.
Authorities investigating a suspicious house fire in the Laurelwood Estates subdivision on June 26 arrested nearby resident Zechary Heath Golden, 29, of 1620 Johnsonville Road. Golden, who lives about 1 mile from a house fire at 490 Laurelwood Circle, was reportedly seen walking in the vicinity carrying a gas can.
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He was booked on a charge of second-degree arson on June 29 and being held at the Cherokee County Detention Center in Murphy. Bail was set at $50,000 unsecured bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for today.
At around 11 a.m. June 26, the Wolf Creek, Ranger, Hiwassee Dam and Polk County (Tenn.) volunteer fire departments were dispatched to the report of a structure fire in the Laurelwood Estates subdivision of western Cherokee County.
Responding firefighters knocked the fire down quickly, preserving evidence that indicated the fire was likely the result of arson, Cherokee County sheriff’s Capt. David Williams said. The State Bureau of Investigation looked into the case, resulting in Golden’s arrest three days after the incident.
Laurelwood Road is a private gravel road serving Laurelwood Estates. The residence belongs to Christian and Luana Hamilton of Lake Worth, Fla., according to Cherokee County tax records. The two-story, 2,184-square-foot log house was last appraised by the county at $196,220.
“The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office would like to acknowledge the quick response of our local emergency services in containing the fire and preserving essential evidence that will aid in the solving of this crime,” Williams said.
Manslaughter plea
In May 2013, Golden, then 18, was arrested during an investigation into the July 15, 2012, stabbing death of Billy Ray Arp, 61, of Ranger.
Arp was a carpet installer and member of Macedonia Baptist Church who enjoyed fishing and NASCAR racing, according to his obituary, which was published in the Cherokee Scout. “He was a devoted son who loved taking care of his mother,” his obituary reads.
Golden was arrested following a 10-month investigation and charged with second-degree murder and robbery. Arp was fatally stabbed in the neck and chest. The medical examiner for Cherokee County ruled the death a homicide.
Golden pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 64-89 months in prison. He also was ordered to undergo substance abuse treatment and psychiatric counseling. He was released on April 18, 2019.
Other arson charge
Golden was convicted of second-degree arson on May 3, 2022, for a Dec. 16, 2020, arson case in Cherokee County.
He served just shy of three months in New Hanover County for the arson before being released on Oct. 31, 2022. While in prison, he was charged with being an inmate in possession of a weapon, for which he received a suspended sentence.
Golden continued to have scrapes with the law. A court document filed on Feb. 27 as a result of two counts of felony probation violation said, “Defendant has disclosed to counsel that he has been diagnosed with numerous mental health issues that impair his ability to comprehend and communicate with counsel. Counsel has concerns about defendant’s ability to understand nature of violations and to participate in his defense.”