Guilty Plea Entered in Rochester Apartment Arson Case
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man has admitted to an arson charge connected to a fire at an apartment building in southwest Rochester earlier this year.
The criminal complaint against 24-year-old Ellis Doyle Spencer says Rochester police and firefighters responded to reports of an active fire at the multi-unit residential building around 1 a.m. on April 24. Officers at the scene reported that fires had been started at two front windows near the building’s main entrance.
Investigators Detected Chemical Odor at Scene
According to the court document, a strong chemical-like odor consistent with a fire accelerant was detected at each of the windows. An officer also noted fresh liquid stains on a window screen that smelled strongly of chemicals.
A manager of the apartment complex told investigators that 21 residential units in the building were occupied at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported.
Victim Reported Prior Threats from the Suspect
The charging document says a person identified as the victim told investigators that the fire was started by Spencer. The victim indicated that he did not see Spencer ignite the fire but said Spencer had threatened him the previous day—allegedly saying he knew where the victim lived and that he was going to set the apartment building on fire.
The criminal complaint also indicates that surveillance video shows Spencer entering and exiting the building several times throughout the previous day and walking past the front door about an hour before the fire was reported.
Spencer was charged with two counts of first-degree arson. Under a plea agreement, he entered a guilty plea to an amended charge of second-degree arson. The plea agreement recommends a jail sentence followed by probation. Spencer is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
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Gallery Credit: Curt St. John
