A Cedar City man was taken into custody after surveillance footage captured him purchasing fuel cans and refilling them twice before he allegedly set his own house on fire on Sunday. Following an early morning blaze at a residence in Cedar City, investigating officers arrested the suspect upon uncovering evidence of his purchases at a local store. FOX13 reported that after the initial denial, the man's plan to burn additional homes came to light.
The suspect, identified as Tyson Hopkins, first told investigators that he was at a gas station when the incident occurred, according to a police booking affidavit. However, a neighbor contradicted his statement, saying he had been seen entering and exiting the home throughout the day. Hopkins' detached demeanor raised suspicions when he remarked to firefighters, "I wish you guys would just let it burn" and inquired about their evidence preservation policies. KSL further detailed the suspect's eagerness to leave the scene of the fire, which consumed a double-wide manufactured home that was his residence.
Authorities confirmed that Hopkins was not present at the home at the time of the fire. Yet, when law enforcement reviewed video footage from a nearby store, it became clear Hopkins had purchased two red fuel cans and filled them with fuel on two separate occasions. KSLTV disclosed that after initially denying any involvement, Hopkins conceded to the purchasing and use of the fuel to start the fire after the footage was presented to him.
In a surprising confession, Hopkins admitted to his actions, detailing the method he used to set the fire: "He then admitted to buying the fuel and taking it back to the home to light the home on fire with a pallet. The fire initially didn’t stay lit, so he went back to get more fuel and used it to light the fire again with windows open for air flow," according to the police affidavit quoted by KSLTV. This admission came only after the law enforcement confronted him with evidence of his prior deceit, leading to his arrest and charges relating to the arson of his home.
