A Port Arthur man, Jerome Holmes, has been indicted for allegedly setting his house on fire after an argument with his wife. The fire marshal found evidence of a pillow and teddy bear in the area where the fire originated. Holmes remains in jail. Port Arthur News reported
Port Arthur man indicted for allegedly setting house on fire following an argument with his wife
Published at 12:18 am on Sunday, November 12, 2023
- Jerome Holmes
According to investigators, a 58-year-old man from Port Arthur is believed to have intentionally set his own house on fire by igniting what appeared to be a pillow, following an argument with his wife.
The suspect, identified as Jerome Holmes, allegedly fled the scene of the fire on October 27th. However, Port Arthur police and firefighters arrived at the residence located in the 2000 block of 13th Street.
Prior to the arrival of the authorities, Holmes’ wife called emergency services and informed them that her husband had threatened to set their house ablaze.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Holmes expressed concern for the safety of his wife and repeatedly apologized to the police officers. However, when questioned about the reason for his apologies, he refused to provide an answer.
The wife reportedly witnessed Holmes attempting to start the fire, which prompted her to contact emergency services, as stated in the document.
During the investigation, the deputy fire marshal documented significant fire damage to the front of the house, which was the area mentioned by the suspect as the target of the fire.
The fire marshal also discovered a teddy bear and what appeared to be pillow stuffing in the vicinity, some of which remained unburned. This suggests that the fire did not fully consume these items.
Further investigation revealed that the fire originated from underneath the house.
Holmes was apprehended on October 27th and is currently being held at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility as of Friday afternoon.
This week, Holmes was formally charged with arson based on the indictment issued.
It is important to note that an indictment does not indicate guilt, but rather allows the district attorney’s office to proceed with the criminal case, as determined by the grand jury.
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