Greencastle man facing arson charge in Madison Twp. house fire

A Putnam County man, apparently desperate to keep his marriage from going down in flames, reportedly tried to send his residence up in smoke instead.

Consequently Arthur Lee Rose, 39, Greencastle, is charged with arson in the July 16 fire at his rental home west of Greencastle in Madison Township.

Making his initial court appearance Monday afternoon before Putnam Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges, Rose was ordered held on $40,000 cash-only bond on the charge of arson, a Class B felony.

Judge Bridges entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of Rose, who is facing a sentencing range of 6-20 years and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted of arson.

He is alleged to have set fire to the two-story house owned by Paul and Kimberly Rooksberry at 6081 W. CR 150 North, Greencastle, shortly after 7:30 p.m. July 16.

Veteran arson investigator Timothy Alan Murphy of the State Fire Marshal's Office assisted the Madison Township Fire Department in the investigation, concluding the cause of the fire to be arson.

The fire was determined to have been intentionally set, the probable cause affidavit states, by igniting ordinary combustible materials on the top shelf of a wood and particle board wardrobe located along the east wall of the second-floor master bedroom.

"There were no logical accidental ignition sources at or near the area or point of origin of the fire," Murphy reported, "and all accidental causes were ruled out."

The 15-year arson investigator also interviewed Rose's wife, who said approximately two weeks before the incident she had informed the suspect of her intention to end their marriage and file for divorce.

Murphy also noted that Rose actually called his wife to tell her the house was on fire before he had called 911 to report the blaze.

"She believed the fire was intentionally set by her husband in an attempt to keep the marriage intact and to keep her from leaving him," Murphy notes in the probable cause document.

The structure sustained fire, heat, smoke and water damage estimated at $20,000. Madison Fire personnel were able to extinguish the blaze in the second-floor master bedroom.

Judge Bridges appointed Greencastle attorney Sid Tongret to represent Rose, who is due back in court at 8 a.m. Aug. 21 for a pretrial conference in the case.

A no-contact ordered has been issued in the case, preventing Rose from all contact with his wife and two minor children.