Two Manchester Men Arrested for Arson and Conspiracy in Talbot County

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has arrested and charged two Manchester men in connection with an arson case in Talbot County.

Jimmy Buchanan, 70, and Wallace Copland, 62, were taken into custody on Friday, January 31, 2025, and charged with two counts of arson and one count of conspiracy to commit arson.

The investigation began on November 6, 2023, when the Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire requested GBI assistance regarding a fire at a home in Shilo.

Buchanan and Copland were arrested without incident with the help of the Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, the Manchester Police Department, the Meriwether County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Both suspects were booked into the Harris County Jail.

Authorities say the investigation remains active, and additional charges are expected.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire at 404-656-2070 or the Regional Investigative Office in Columbus at (706) 565-7888. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Office of the Attorney General for prosecution.