Detectives with the Pike County Sheriff’s Department need the public’s help locating a Kentwood man accused of arson.
Pike County Chief Investigator Chris Bell said Gregory Ford, 48, 814 Avenue A, Kentwood, is wanted in connection with an arson that happened on Lazy Heifer Road near Lenoir Road Sunday.
As reported earlier, a 2012 white Toyota Camry was found burned. Bell told an Enterprise-Journal reporter Tuesday the incident was reported by Tony Rosenthal.
Bell said that after the tag was run, it was discovered the car was stolen from Kentwood an hour earlier.
The incident happened around 8 p.m. Sunday and the car was discovered burned around 9.
Bell said investigators spoke with Shayla Ford, the owner of the vehicle, who admitted that she and her uncle, Gregory Ford, planned the entire episode.
Ford told investigators she and her uncle did it for insurance money. Bell said she told investigators they planned to go to a store in Kentwood.
There, Bell said Ford told investigators they planned for her to exit the vehicle, and her uncle would jump in and drive away so she could pretend someone stole her vehicle.
He said Ford said Gregory Ford would then drive the car to Mississippi, leave it in Pike County and set it on fire.
Bell said because Gregory Ford burned the car in Pike County, the department now has a warrant for his arrest on an arson charge.
Shayla Ford was arrested and charged in Kentwood for filing a false police report. Bell said since the fraud took place in Kentwood, Ford couldn’t be held here. She was interviewed and released.
Anyone with information on Gregory Ford’s whereabouts should call the Pike County Sheriff’s Department at 601-783-6767.
