Maranda Faris

USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee

LEXINGTON — Buddy Small admitted to shooting a man before cutting his head off and setting the mobile home he was in on fire Tuesday morning, court documents say.

Small, 36, was charged with first-degree murder, arson and abuse of a corpse Wednesday, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Court documents say Small shot the still unidentified man in the head with a 30-06 Winchester rifle in front of witnesses.

Small told investigators that he removed the man's head and disposed of it in a brush pile about 500 yards behind the home on Johnson Road, according to court documents.

Small admitted to investigators that, after shooting the man, he intentionally set the mobile home on fire, court documents say.

Small said he lit a piece of paper and ignited a box in the home.

The man's headless body was found in the living room of the home during fire suppression efforts, court documents say.

The head was found in the brush pile behind the home, according to court documents.

Small is scheduled to appear in Henderson County General Sessions Court Tuesday at 8 a.m.

The body has not been identified, pending an autopsy.

Small is currently being held without bond in the Henderson County Jail.