On Sunday, March 19, at approximately 3:45 p.m., the Mexico Public Safety Department responded to the 1700 block of Fairground Rd in reference to a human body being found by the caller. Responding officers were directed to a white male, lying dead in an unlocked shed at the back of a property. The male was preliminarily identified as Brandon Spears based off clothing, tattoos, and general build.
Spears, age 43 of Mexico, had active warrants out for his arrest as a result of the investigation into the fires and murder that occurred during the early morning hours of December 23, 2022. According to Mexico Public Safety, Spears had been living in the building at the time of the fire. His mother, 60-year-old Ruth Stuart died in the fire. According to the probable cause statement, the medical examiner believes Stuart suffered trauma to her head. The medical examiner also believes Stuart was still alive when the fire was started. Investigators linked Spears to a second fire that happened more than an hour later. During that investigation, a home security camera showed a person believed to be Spears about five blocks from Fairground Rd., less than an hour after the second fire. It appeared the person on video was attempting to get into parked cars or looking for shelter. The weather on December 22 and 23 was dangerously cold.
Coroner Yager is arranging for an autopsy by the Boone County Medical Examiner. There were no visible traumatic injuries to the body and no apparent link between Spears and the owners of the shed.