Police are investigating a fire at a home and the discovery of a body that happened over the weekend in the Milligan area of the county.
On Saturday afternoon, Carter County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Brian Durham responded to a report of a structure fire at 164 Old Milligan highway. Durham said when he arrived on scene he saw heaving smoke coming from the home and members of the West Carter Volunteer Fire Department trying to combat the blaze.
“While standing near the residence, I was approached by fire department personnel and advised there was a male subject inside the residence that appeared to be deceased,” Durham said, adding the firefighters told him the man appeared to have a gunshot wound to his head.
“After the fire was extinguished, I entered the residence and observed the subject lying in the floor of what appeared to be the living room area,” Durham said. “Victim was lying on his right side on top of some type of rifle or shotgun.”
The Sheriff’s Office identified the man as 55-year-old Jeffery Poarch, who lived at the home.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known on Saturday.
“Most fire damage was concentrated in a bedroom in the middle of the residence,” Durham said. “The remaining areas of the residence received heavy smoke and heat damage.”
CCSO Investigator Larry Vaughn was called to the scene and he took over the investigation into the fire and death of Poarch. Carter County Coroner Benny Colbaugh also responded to the scene to assist.