Nephew of man killed in alleged meth lab blast charge with murder
By The Associated Press
Posted 2:25AM on Saturday, August 14, 2004
<p>The nephew of a man killed in an explosion related to a methamphetamine lab has been charged with murder.</p><p>Jonathan Allen Collins, 21, also has been charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, said Houston County Sheriff's Lt. Robert Clark.</p><p>Collins was arrested on Thursday after the funeral of his uncle, Robert Shane Gilbert, 27, Clark said.</p><p>Gilbert died Monday afternoon after a propane tank in Collins' home exploded. A piece of shrapnel severed one of his arteries, said narcotics investigator Sgt. Wayne Franklin.</p><p>Clark said Collins was "substantially" involved in making the drug the day of the accident.</p><p>Collins was given the felony murder charge, which applies when someone dies in the commission of another felony, Clark said.</p><p>Smoking devices and packaging material for meth ingredients were found in the home, Clark said.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1ab74fc)</p>