RIPLEY, MISS. – A Ripley man has been indicted by a Tippah County grand jury on multiple felony charges, including attempted first-degree murder, first-degree arson, aggravated assault, and malicious mischief, stemming from a January incident involving a homemade flamethrower.
Jason Ray Mathis is accused of attacking an occupied mobile home near Lake Chautauqua on County Road 431 on the night of Friday, January 11. According to the Tippah County Sheriff’s Department, Mathis allegedly used a fabricated flamethrower to ignite the residence during what investigators say was an ongoing dispute with the victims.
Authorities say Mathis broke a window and set fire to the porch before moving to the west side of the mobile home and setting it ablaze again. While several people were believed to be targeted in the attack, only one person was inside the home at the time. That individual escaped without injury.
Mathis has a lengthy criminal history in Tippah County, including prior charges of drive-by shooting, stalking, harassment, and multiple counts of assault.
He remains in custody as he awaits trial on the new charges.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
