Suspected arsonist arrested

Posted 10/19/21

A witness reported hearing the man threaten to burn the house down.

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Suspected arsonist arrested

Posted

OKEECHOBEE -- Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office criminal investigations unit  arrested Justin James Ludington, 32, on Oct. 18. Hew as charged with  one count of first degree arson of an occupied structure and  two counts of second degree arson of a vehicle stemming from an investigation into an occupied structure fire located at 9317 SE 57th Dr. in the late afternoon of Monday, October 18, 2021. 

The home was fully involved when the initial deputy arrived on the scene. After Okeechobee Fire Rescue extinguished the fire, neighbors reported to deputies that another neighbor intentionally started the fire. That neighbor (Ludington) has been involved in a neighborhood dispute with the victims for some time.  

Witnesses described seeing Ludington walking around the side of the home, striking it with a hammer yelling, “Going to burn your house down.” This same witness saw Ludington lighting a set of wooden pallets stacked directly behind one of the two vehicles burned. Ludington calmly walked away toward his home as flames grew on the pallets catching the car on fire. That fire spread quickly, jumping over to the occupied home.

During the investigation, another witness stated that Ludington told them  he had started the fire and said  “let it burn.”

Ludington voluntarily came to the sheriff’s office, where he was questioned under Miranda Warning. After questioning, Ludington was arrested by Detective Corporal Ted Van Deman for the charges mentioned. The total bond for the three charges is $70,000.00, set by the judge at his first appearance hearing. 

The sheriff's office would like to thank those witnesses that stepped forward in this case. Special thanks to the Okeechobee County Fire Rescue and State Fire Marshal’s Office for their fast response and assistance in this investigation.

Related story: Fire destroys home and vehicles.

fire, arson, OCSO

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