MEXICO, Mo. — An Audrain County man’s body was found in a shed Sunday. Police identified him as Brandon Spears, 43 of Mexico, Missouri. He was wanted in connection with his mother’s death and setting fires.

Officers were called to the 1700 block of Fairground Road Sunday afternoon to investigate a body found. They found Spears’s body in an unlocked shed in the back of some private property. He was identified through tattoos and clothing.

A fire at an apartment building in the 1200 block of West Breckenridge on December 23 killed 60-year-old Ruth Ann Stuart. The victim in the fire was also the suspect’s mother. He also appears to be a suspect in a second fire that evening at the Spartan Light Metals building.

The evening of December, 23, 2022 was very cold. Police have home security camera video of Spears about five blocks from Fairground Road. He appeared to be trying to get into parked cars and looking for shelter.

Police say that there does not appear to be any link between Spears and the owner of the shed. His body did not have any injuries. The Boone County Medical Examiner is arranging for an autopsy to determine a cause of death.