Man who allegedly tried to burn house may have died in blast

TUSKAHOMA, Okla. (AP) _ A man suspected of arson may have been killed in the explosion and collapse of a home that he allegedly was hired to burn, an investigator said. <br/><br/>Two brothers who were

Saturday, June 12th 2004, 10:47 am

By: News On 6

TUSKAHOMA, Okla. (AP) _ A man suspected of arson may have been killed in the explosion and collapse of a home that he allegedly was hired to burn, an investigator said.

Two brothers who were taken into custody in connection with the fire, Michael Cain, 27, and Clarence Cain, 24, are not talking, Pushmataha County Sheriff Elven Flood said.

Investigators believe the siblings were at the fire, along with a third man, Leonard Godsby.

Godsby, 22, has been missing since Wednesday night and is thought to be the person who died in the fire.

``We're still trying to sort things out,'' Flood said. ``Right now, we haven't been able to make a positive ID on the body. It's burned pretty bad.''

Flood said he and his deputies received a telephone call Thursday from Godsby's sister, Crystal Little, who alleged that the three men had been hired to burn down the house.

``Apparently, the two men (Michael and Clarence Cain) helped start the fire and then went out on the front porch. She said her brother (Godsby) was inside when they heard an explosion and saw the roof cave in on him,'' Flood said. ``That's when they ran away and told her what had happened.''

The owners of the house were on vacation.