A St. Johnsbury man found dead in a torched house was allegedly killed by someone he was volunteering to help. Police say the suspect confessed to killing a man whom he'd met at a halfway house.

Allen Draper, 30, was in court in Caledonia County Tuesday to face arson and murder charges in the death of Timothy Persons.

David Piers works at the Covered Bridge Therapeutic Center. He says Timothy Persons volunteered once a month to help organize community service at the halfway house.

Persons was found dead in a fire at his home last week.

"An outstanding citizen with a big heart," Piers said. "He had an excellent reputation and everyone loved him as far as I knew."

Tuesday in court, Draper entered the courtroom on crutches due to a physical disability. He pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges in the death of Persons.

Draper lived in the halfway home where Persons volunteered.

"They were acquaintances through a facility located in St Johnsbury," Vt. State Police Capt. Dan Trudeau said.

Police say Draper left the halfway home and rode his bike to Persons' home in hopes of borrowing money for his cocaine addiction. When Persons refused, police say Draper struck him in the head with a metal pipe and then set the house on fire. The fire hid the murder for a couple of days.

"There were a lot of complex parts to it and especially a fatal fire like that is definitely difficult right on the onset because there is not a lot of physical evidence," Trudeau said.

Police found Persons' van at the halfway house. They questioned Draper several times before they say he ultimately confessed to the crime.

He was already well-known to officers.

"He's got a pretty lengthy criminal history and was currently on furlough and that got revoked this past weekend," Trudeau said.

Draper's four charges carry a maximum of life in prison if convicted.

The events are still a shock to Piers and residents at Covered Bridge.

"Shocked and appalled and disgusted and hurt and a lot of other emotions," Piers said. "He was a good friend of mine."

Family members inside the courtroom did not want to talk Tuesday, but one man who was there who said he knew both Persons and Draper through the Covered Bridge Therapeutic Community center. He said he is surprised by these actions.

WCAX News has reported to you before about Allen Draper's crimes.

Two years ago, he was convicted of aggravated domestic assault on his infant daughter. A doctor concluded the 3-week-old girl suffered severe bruising during a rough feeding when Draper jammed a bottle into her mouth. He also confessed to squeezing and shaking the little girl.