Tahlequah firefighters were sent to the home near the intersection of Stick Ross and West 782 Road at about 5:45 a.m. A caller reported to dispatchers that an explosive noise was heard before the house caught fire.
Firefighters had been called to the same home Feb. 1, when a fire damaged the home. According to Cherokee County Undersheriff Jason Chennault, the extent of the damage to the home in February displaced its residents, and they hadn’t been living in the home since that time.
Two dogs perished in the Feb. 1 fire; on Thursday morning, flames destroyed much of the trailer that had remained, but no one was home at the time of the blaze.
Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives probed both fires and ruled them to be incendiary.
On Thursday afternoon, local and federal investigators arrested Matthew Lee Allen, 38, after he was charged with first-degree arson and cruelty to animals in relation to the Feb. 1 fire. Allen was given a $100,000 bond by Special District Judge Sandy Crosslin.
Allen was first arrested last February on allegations of stalking and tampering with utilities, after the home’s first fire; he was released a few days later on a $2,000 bond, court records show.
Chennault said Allen also showed up at the scene of Thursday morning’s fire.
“He just showed up, so we took the opportunity to talk to him there,” Chennault said. “He denied being involved.”
It was later Thursday when authorities again visited with Allen and took him into custody.
According to an affidavit filed by ATF Special Agent Ashley Stephens, he responded to the February fire and learned a circuit breaker next to the electric meter had been turned off before firefighters arrived.
Investigators then spoke to Joseph Walsh, who lived at the home along with homeowner Bobbi Jones.
Jones, at that time, was away on a business trip. Walsh explained that he arrived at the trailer, found the doors unlocked, and discovered the home filled with smoke. A piece of debris behind the couch was on fire, as was a wall. Walsh told investigators he was unable to rescue two dogs that were in the house.
According to Stephens, Matthew Allen showed up at the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office to speak with investigators later on Feb. 1. He claimed he wanted to help investigators, and said he intended to do his own investigation.
Later, Allen allegedly admitted he was upset with Jones, his ex-wife, and had shut off power to the house “just to scare them.”
“At this point, Allen became angry when being pressed if he started the fire,” Stephens reported.
After Allen was detained for potential charges of tampering with utilities, he refused to continue speaking with investigators. A lighter in his pocket was seized as evidence before he was booked into CCDC.
Witnesses told investigators Allen had previously made statements about his intentions to burn the trailer. And when Allen was released from CCDC on Feb. 4, he allegedly called Stephens and admitted investigators would find text messages on his phone that “would not look good.”
“Allen then admitted the text messages said he was going to burn Jones’ house down,” Stephens reported. “Allen said that he was mad at Jones, but adamantly denied setting the fire.”
When firefighters and investigators arrived at the scene of Thursday morning’s fire, they quickly suspected the trailer had been set on fire.
It was after the blaze had been extinguished that Allen arrived at the scene.
Prosecutors on Thursday afternoon formally charged Allen with the February fire, and Crosslin assigned the $100,000 bond; Thursday evening, investigators arrested Allen.
Chennault said Allen declined to discuss Thursday morning’s fire when questioned for the second time Thursday.
He has not been charged with the latest fire.
First-degree arson is punishable by up to 35 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000, while cruelty to animals is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
(Tahlequah Daily Press - Mar 4, 2016)
