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Arson arrest made in connection with February fire

Jhesie Hill

Tama man Jhesie Aaron Hill, 36, was arrested on Tuesday night on a second-degree arson charge for his alleged part in the house fire that occurred on Feb. 2 at 5 E. Webster St.

According to a press release from the Marshalltown Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched to the Webster Street address late in the evening on Feb. 2 on a reported house fire. No one was home at the time of the fire, and it appeared to be vacant. The home sustained significant smoke and fire damage, and while conducting an extensive investigation, fire and police personnel determined that the fire was set intentionally.

Several months of collecting evidence and investigation pointed them towards Hill, who was arrested by officers from the Tama Police Department at approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night. He was charged with second-degree arson, a class C felony.

A string of arson fires from the last year and a half have been under investigation by both the MFD and the Marshalltown Police Department, and when asked if Hill was suspected for any of the other fires, Fire Chief David Rierson said that to his knowledge, the February fire was the only one Hill had any involvement in.

“This was an isolated, specific incident,” Rierson said.

Rierson also said that Hill was living in the Webster Street home when the fire was set.

Hill was still in custody at the Marshall County Jail as of Wednesday morning according to the Marshall County Jail inmate roster website, and his bond was set for $10,000 with a preliminary hearing set for Aug. 26 at 1 p.m.

This incident remains under investigation, and if anyone has any information regarding the incident or the investigation, they are asked to contact the MPD at (641) 754-5725 or Marshall County Crime Stoppers at (641) 753-1234.

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