A Knoxville man is behind bars after a late-January house fire that investigators say had 11 people inside when the flames broke out. Authorities identified the suspect as 44-year-old Diego Julio Pedro and say he was taken into custody in the Lonsdale neighborhood. Police allege the home’s porch was soaked with a liquid and then set on fire.
The Knoxville Fire Department says Pedro is facing an aggravated arson charge tied to a blaze on Stair Drive in the Western Heights neighborhood. An arrest warrant alleges he "doused the house's porch with a liquid, then lit it on fire and ran away," and KFD says fire investigators working with the Knoxville Police Department tracked him down in Lonsdale. Investigators report that crews found 11 people inside the structure at the time, and say the probe remains active, according to WVLT.
What aggravated arson means in Tennessee
Under Tennessee law, aggravated arson is arson committed "when one (1) or more persons are present therein" or when someone, including firefighters or law-enforcement officers, suffers serious bodily injury. The crime is classified as a Class A felony under Tenn. Code § 39-14-302. Sentencing ranges for Class A felonies are set by state statute and, depending on the offender’s sentencing range and prior convictions, can run from roughly 15 to 60 years. Those ranges are detailed in Tenn. Code § 40-35-112.
Related arrests from the same week
That Western Heights fire was not the only late-January blaze on the department’s radar. The fire department previously reported two overnight fires that same night, one on Keith Avenue and one on Stair Avenue, and Knoxville police arrested 23-year-old John Tory in connection with the Keith Avenue blaze. That earlier incident involved seven people and five dogs inside the attached structure, and KFD said investigators would share additional details as they become available, per WVLT.
What happens next
Pedro remains in custody on the aggravated arson allegation. If prosecutors move forward with formal charges, the case will advance through Knox County courts. Court records and future filings are expected to list his arraignment date and any upcoming hearings as the investigation and prosecutorial review continue.
