December 27, 2002

Suspects in WRT arsons arrested

        Two young men arrested in the White River Township arson spree apparently set the fires to cover up thefts, authorities say.  The suspects now face more than 100 years in prison each if convicted of the arsons, which the prosecutor compared to acts of terrorism.  Arrested Thursday were Michael Jekel, 23, of New Whiteland, and Matthew Cole, 22, of White River Township. The pair are suspected in a string of arsons that destroyed two houses and damaged three others, dating back to Thanksgiving weekend. Total damage is estimated between $500,000 and $1 million.  Both men were booked into the Johnson County jail on charges of:  Five counts of arson, a Class B felony.  One count of burglary, a Class B felony.  One count of criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.  Cole is held in jail on $121,000 bond.  Jekel’s bond was doubled, to $242,000, because he was already out on bond for a drug arrest last week.  Detectives investigating the arson spree began to see a pattern when Jekel’s and Cole’s vehicles were spotted near some of the suspicious fires.  Witnesses jotted down license plate numbers, which traced back to the two men.  One of the suspects — authorities wouldn’t say whom, although Jekel was in police custody earlier in the week — cooperated with detectives, admitted his involvement and implicated his accomplice, police said.  The second man admitted to buying accelerant but did not admit to starting the fires.  In the second photo below, Anderson fire investigator Todd Jordan and arson dog Vader search December 11 for accelerants in the aftermath of a December 10 fire that destroyed a house in Banta.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

  
(Click on a thumbnail to enlarge photo)
 

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