A Valdosta man faces a malice murder charge after a fire at a homeless camp killed one person and seriously injured another on August 4, 2026.Grady Callaway, 53, is charged with malice murder, aggravated assault, 2 counts of agg ravated battery, 2 counts of first-degree arson, and cruelty to animals, all felonies, according to the Valdosta Police Department.At 7 a.m., a citizen called 911 to report a woman running out of the woods yelling that there was a fire and she had been burned. The fire was in a wooded area in the 1300 block of Lankford Drive.When first responders arrived, they found two separate areas of the woods engulfed in flames. Both areas appeared to be homeless camps. Firefighters with the Valdosta Fire Department quickly extinguished the fires.A 37-year-old woman was found with serious burns on the extremities of her body. A 35-year-old man, later identified as Joshua Reagan, was completely covered in burns. South Georgia Medical Center EMS transported both victims to the hospital. Both were later transferred to a hospital in Florida for specialized treatment.A small dog was also found with minor burns. Lowndes County Animal Control took custody of the dog for further treatment.Detectives determined Callaway had been in a verbal altercation with the two victims prior to the fire. During the argument, Callaway threatened to harm the victims.At 12:30 p.m., Valdosta Police officers and detectives observed Callaway riding a bicycle on a trail off the 1100 block of West Gordon Street. He was taken into custody on an active arrest warrant unrelated to the case. After being interviewed by detectives, he was taken to Lowndes County Jail.Around 9 p.m., detectives received information that Reagan, 35, had died from his injuries.The female victim remains in stable condition and is still receiving treatment. The dog has been treated for burns and is recovering."Our thoughts go out to Mr. Reagan's family as they grieve the tragic loss of their loved one, and for another victim who is facing a tough road of recovery," Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan said."I commend the dedicated and persistent work of our officers and detectives, leaving no stone unturned to find this offender to hold him accountable for his actions," Manahan said.Anyone who witnessed the incident or has additional information is encouraged to call the Valdosta Police Department at 229-242-2606, the crime tip line at 229-293-3091, or file a tip online at valdostacity.com/police-departmentThis story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website. Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram and X. ...read more read less