Cass Co. officials discuss fatal arson case
LOGANSPORT, Ind. (WLFI) – A Logansport man has been charged with murder and arson after investigators said he set fire to his girlfriend’s apartment on New Year’s Day.
Logansport Police Lt. A.J. Rozzi said, “There had been an argument that night.”
Rozzi believes the argument may have led 61-year-old David Lee Hicks to murder his girlfriend, 57-year-old Michele Jones.
Hicks has been charged three counts including arson and murder.
“Firemen made entry into the upstairs apartment and encountered a female on the floor that was unresponsive,” said Rozzi. “Suffering burns and smoke inhalation.”
The fire broke out at Jones’ apartment on High Street around 1 a.m.
Jones was airlifted to the St. Joseph Hospital Burn Unit in Fort Wayne. She died the following day as a result of her injuries.
“The investigation that followed revealed that the fire was not an accidental fire,” Cass County Prosecutor Lisa Swaim said. “It was a set fire.”
Even after more than three months of investigating, Rozzi said there are still some missing pieces to the case. However, he declined to say exactly what those are including what the argument was about on New Year’s Eve.
“This is the worst that it gets,” said Rozzi. “Somebody passed away, somebody died from a result of this incident. So you want to get to the bottom of it.”
Hicks is currently being held in custody at the Washington County Jail in Tennessee.
Rozzi said Hicks has waived extradition and a court date will be set when he arrives in Cass County.