Media Release: W.Va. State Fire Marshals arrest 4 firefighters in McDowell arson cases

 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office have today arrested four McDowell County firefighters on arson charges in connection with a series of intentionally set fires in the War area that spanned several months.

 

Cody Patterson, 26, James Stutson, 40, Michael Click, 28, and Brandon Short, 22 have all been charged by WVSFMO investigators with first-degree arson and conspiracy.

 

Investigators were called to a vacant apartment fire in War on Oct. 31, 2018, where it was determined that the fire was incendiary in cause. The fire had started in the upstairs area of the apartment building and had then spread to five other buildings. Investigators then determined that three other fires in the War area had been intentionally set in the previous months, and that they were all connected to the same individuals:

 

• Aug. 12, a fire was set to a vacant two-story building.  It is believed that all four of the individuals charged participated in setting fire to this building.

 

 

All four were arrested today and will be brought before a McDowell County magistrate. More charges are pending. The investigation and arrests were made by ASFM L.T. Hamrick.

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