Cape Cod Arson Suspect Charged With Multiple Fires

DENNIS, MA — A Massachusetts man is charged with multiple counts of arson after an investigation by the Dennis Police Department, officials announced Wednesday.

At 9:16 p.m. on Tuesday, the Dennis Police Department received multiple 911 calls reporting a large fire in the area of Lower County Road and Murphy Road in West Dennis. Officers responded and found a shed at the back of a property on Lower County Road was on fire. Dennis fire officials were able to control and extinguish that fire.

However, officers determined that the fire’s origin was suspicious so a search of the area for a possible suspect was started and continued until approximately 2 a.m., officials said.

At 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday, a 911 call was taken reporting another fire, this time at a residence on Windward Road in West Dennis, which is near the site of the first fire. Officers responded to the scene and found a shed on the property on fire and attempted to extinguish it, but the fire had grown too large, officials said.

The Dennis Fire Department arrived and quickly put out this fire.

While still at this scene, a Dennis officer located a male subject on School Street in West Dennis who was identified as a suspect in the fire investigations and was subsequently arrested. He is a 28-year-old male with an address in Dedham. No identity was released on Wednesday.

The man is charged with:

• Arson of a dwelling house, three counts
• Attempted arson of a dwelling house, three counts
• Felony breaking and entering a building at night, two counts
• Malicious damage to a motor vehicle
• Destruction of property worth $1,200, three counts

An arraignment was scheduled in the Orleans District Court today, but there could be more charges to follow.

Officials said a house-to-house canvass by Dennis PD Detectives and Officers in the area where the two fires took place resulted in additional crime scenes being identified.