Evangeline Parish, Louisiana – A Louisiana man was arrested suspected of arson after he allegedly set a house fire that spread to another occupied home.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal in Louisiana (SFM) has taken into custody a man from Mamou, Louisiana under the suspicion of setting a house on fire. The fire reportedly extended to a nearby house that had an occupant at the time of the incident.
On Monday, August 21, Tommy Lee, aged 52, was arrested and booked into Evangeline Parish Jail on charges including Aggravated Arson, Domestic Abuse Battery, and Unauthorized Entry of a Dwelling Dwelling. Lee is also awaiting arrest for additional unrelated charges arising from outstanding warrants issued by two different agencies. The Mamou Fire Department received a call about a house fire on East Street in the 500 block around 4 a.m. on August 18.
The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire. Unfortunately, the fire spread to a neighboring house where a woman was present. Thankfully, she managed to get out without harm.
Upon evaluating the scene, deputies from SFM concluded that the fire started near the back door, where traces of forced entry and suspicious items were found. They discovered that an argument had taken place about an hour before the fire between a woman living in the neighboring house and her boyfriend, identified as Lee. The woman’s family members, residents of the street, and the house that caught on fire stepped in during the dispute and made Lee leave.
After further investigation, Lee was identified as the prime suspect in the matter, and an arrest warrant was issued against him.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of SFM apprehended Lee in Lecompte on Monday, August 21. This investigation is ongoing.
An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.