A Sturgeon Bay woman is accused of turning an empty neighborhood barn into a crime scene after investigators say she deliberately set the building on fire earlier this month.
Police arrested 59-year-old Donna Jo Franklin on Monday, June 15, after investigators said a barn on the 1400 block of North 8th Avenue was set ablaze on the night of Wednesday, June 10. The barn was unoccupied, did not house any animals and no injuries were reported.
Firefighters were called to the property just before 9 p.m. Sturgeon Bay Police, the fire department and members of the State Fire Marshal’s Office later labeled the fire suspicious, according to WBAY. Police said Franklin was taken into custody and that an arson referral was sent to the Door County District Attorney’s Office. Officials added that no further details would be released at this time.
Investigators say she admitted to setting the fire
According to Green Bay Press-Gazette, investigators allege Franklin told officers she used a small lighter, described in the complaint as a “flicker,” to ignite insulation paper inside the barn. The criminal complaint states that Franklin said the barn represented a dream she had once shared with a former boyfriend, and that she did not want another woman to have it.
Evidence investigators say tied her to the scene
The complaint states that a neighbor reported seeing an SUV pull onto the property’s north side around 8:22 p.m. Culver’s receipts and security video later placed Franklin at a Culver’s restaurant around 8:43 p.m., according to the same Green Bay Press-Gazette report.
Investigators say Franklin told officers she threw away a red “flicker” in a trash receptacle and, at one point during questioning, said, “Just arrest me.” She made an initial court appearance by video, where a cash bond was set at $25,000. The next hearing in the case was scheduled for June 22, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
What the charge carries
Franklin is charged with arson of a building without the owner’s consent, a Class C felony under Wisconsin law. The offense carries a potential prison sentence of up to 40 years and a fine of up to $100,000, under Wis. Stat. § 943.02.
