Police say man admitted to setting his Baytown house on fire, his dad died inside

BAYTOWN, Texas (KTRK) -- A man is now charged with murder after law enforcement says he admitted to intentionally burning down his home in Baytown. Officials say the fire ended up killing his father inside.

According to court documents, Baytown Fire and EMS responded to the house last Monday and found it completely engulfed in flames. Those records said first responders found a dead man, later identified as 73-year-old Floyd Hadley, in a bathroom tub. Now his son, 40-year-old Clinton Hadley, faces a murder charge.

According to court records, the Baytown Fire Arson Investigator said the gas meter appeared to be broken or possibly tampered with. Those same records detailed how officers located video footage from a neighbor showing a man walking from the side of the home and leaving in a car. A few seconds later, officials said smoke could be seen coming from the back of the home.

Investigators later determined that the car belonged to Clinton.

This case took police across state lines to Louisiana. That's where the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office said it arrested Clinton later that same day after he allegedly went to a business and threatened to burn the building down if a worker did not give him gas money.

He was taken to jail in Louisiana, and Baytown police went to see him. According to court records, the officer told Clinton his father died as a result of the fire. Clinton denied any involvement. But, those documents showed that the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office claimed Clinton admitted during their interview with him that he intentionally set fire to his home.

Those records contend he admitted to detectives that he set furniture in his room on fire, before leaving in his vehicle. Clinton allegedly said he wanted to burn the house down and get away from his family.

According to court records, there has been a history of welfare concerns with Clinton. Just the night before, documents mentioned that his aunt called Baytown PD for a welfare check inside the home. She allegedly said Clinton was schizophrenic and was talking about setting the house on fire.