Man Accused of Killing Two Children, Setting Fire to Florida Mobile Home After Assault

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — Investigators say a Florida man is behind bars after a violent and disturbing crime that left two young children dead inside a burning mobile home.

Authorities say 27-year-old John Henry Walston Jr. is accused of sexually assaulting one child, killing both, and then setting the home on fire before escaping. The tragedy happened early Friday morning in Pensacola.

Firefighters arrived just before 1 a.m. to find the trailer fully engulfed in flames. Once the fire was brought under control, responders discovered the bodies of two children, ages 7 and 9, along with a dog inside the home.

According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, investigators later learned the children were killed before the fire started. Sheriff Chip Simmons said Walston set the fire after the murders, then ran out of the home to save himself.

This report was compiled using information gathered from law enforcement statements, official press releases, and publicly available news sources.

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Firefighters arrived just before 1 a.m. to find the trailer fully engulfed in flames. Once the fire was brought under control, responders discovered the bodies of two children, ages 7 and 9, along with a dog inside the home.

According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, investigators later learned the children were killed before the fire started. Sheriff Chip Simmons said Walston set the fire after the murders, then ran out of the home to save himself.