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Arrest made in fire at old Phillips house |
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Tuesday, 01 July 2008 |
An occupant has been charged with starting the fire that destroyed the historic Benton house built by Dr. John Morgan Phillips more than a hundred years ago.
Robert Cox, 22, is charged with negligent burning, a Class A felony, in conjunction with the fire, and he also is charged with filing a false police report.
In addition, Cox is charged in another incident that occurred earlier at the same location, at East and Cross streets, Benton Police Sgt. Patrick Baker said.
“He is charged with filing a false police report in conjunction with a Jeep that was set on fire a few days before the house burned,” Baker said.
Detective Jeremy Reidmiller and Benton Fire Marshal Bruce Armstrong also assisted in the investigation.
No one was injured in the blaze that was reported to Benton Fire Department in the late evening of May 6.
The family home of John Shepherd Phillips and his children for many years, the house recently was owned by Benton businessman Lib Carlisle. It had been converted to three apartments, two of which were occupied. The third apartment was being used for storage by Bill’s Flower Shop, one of two businesses adjacent to the house.
One of those businesses, Henthorne Tax Service, owned by Terry and Wanda Henthorne, sustained minor damage in the fire, Armstrong said. Damage occurred to the vinyl siding and some roofing shingles at the Henthornes’ business, but no damage was reported at the flower shop.
From the onset, the fire marshal said there was little doubt that the fire was deliberately set. A burn pattern visible by a door on the north side of the structure convinced him that an accelerant was used to start the blaze.
“You can see how it went from here, straight up the wall into the attic,” Armstrong said at the scene the day after the fire.
“It looks like someone sprayed something here that ignited,” he said. “The flames had a clear channel because in old houses like this, there is no fire stop in the wall. There’s nothing to block the path.”
Although the fire started at that spot, that apartment was not as severely damaged as one on the opposite side of the house, Armstrong pointed out.
“Fires are strange that way,” he said. “Most of the damage may not be where they start. This apartment sustained mainly heat and water damage and not as much flame damage.”
The other apartment where the greatest damage occurred was gutted by the blaze that was reported to the fire department at 10:29 p.m. Firefighters arrived at 10:30 and were at the scene throughout the next day, Armstrong said.
All of the occupants were home when the fire was discovered, but all were able to get out without injuries. One of those living in the structure included Briel Cox, Robert Cox’s wife, who is disabled and requires a wheelchair for mobility.
Armstrong collected samples of debris from the scene and submitted these to the state crime lab. Analysis revealed the presence of a petroleum distillate, a term that applies to charcoal starter, some paint thinners, mineral spirits and some dry cleaning solvents. He noted that charcoal starter was found near the area of origin.
Baker said Cox was arrested after an interview with police.
Cox is scheduled to appear in Saline County District Court at 1:30 p.m. July 8. Deputy Prosecutor Andy Gill of the Saline County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is in charge of the state’s case.
The remains of the burned structure recently were bulldozed.
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