A Brentwood man who owns half a dozen inexpensive homes in North Nashville colluded with one of his tenants to burn down two homes in an effort to collect insurance money, prosecutors have charged.
In early May, according to police records, landlord Scott Williams gave tenant Corey Gaines five months of free rent and $1,000 to burn down two homes on 14th Avenue North.
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Shortly after the houses burned, Williams, 54, who owns Kairos Investment Properties, filed fraudulent insurance claims asking for tens of thousands of dollars as compensation for the damage, according to the indictment.
Both Williams and Gaines last week pleaded not guilty in state court, three months after a grand jury in Davidson County indicted the two on arson and insurance fraud, among other counts. Tomeka Gaines also was indicted on charges of theft and not reporting crimes to authorities.
Fire investigators discovered gasoline around the burned homes, which led them to suspect arson. Williams later gave investigators a written statement implicating himself in the arson, although he now maintains his innocence.
Gaines, 32, whose criminal history includes convictions for assault, burglary, harassment and about a dozen other charges and has served at least nine prison sentences, allegedly stole from one of the homes before setting it ablaze.
Authorities say Gaines took air conditioners, clothes, furniture and other personal property from the home of Mary Butler, who was one of Williams’ tenants, before setting fire to the residence.
The grand jury’s indictment noted that one firefighter sustained serious injuries after combating the fire at 1807 14th Avenue North. But no injuries were reported in the May fires.
A recent visit to the residential corridor on which the arsons occurred revealed that there was no trace of the home at 1807 14th Avenue North. The other appeared intact and lived-in.
Neighbor Carolyn Haddox, 54, who has lived on 14th Avenue for several years, said fires had broken out at the 1807 property a handful of times while she has lived across the street.
The fire that ultimately destroyed the home, though, seemed different.
“It happened way too quick,” Haddox recalled, noting that despite how close the community is, she did not know Gaines. “Something about it didn’t seem right.”
In addition to the six North Nashville properties he owns under the Kairos Investment name, records show that Williams is the listed owner on two homes in Brentwood and two in Davidson County.
Attorney Jon Perry, who represents Williams, said his client is a “victim,” adding that “the court process will demonstrate the actual guilty party.”
Williams was released on a $15,000 bond.
Corey Gaines is currently in a Metro prison on a $50,000 bond.
