Edhat Staff
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Deputies located and arrested a man accused of arson in North Las Vegas last week.
On Tuesday, March 5, around 3:15 a.m., the North Las Vegas Fire Department (NLVFD) responded to reports of a structure fire in a residential neighborhood.
Firefighters discovered a single-family home engulfed in flames. A search of the structure later found no victims, according to KSNV Las Vegas.
NLVFD arson investigators were called to investigate as crews determined the fire to be suspicious. A male was reportedly seen on nearby security camera footage starting the fire before leaving the area prompting authorities to name the owner of the residence, 68-year-old Dean Huggins, a person of interest.
When contacting family and friends, investigators discovered Huggins was at an unknown cemetery threatening to commit suicide just after noon on Tuesday, March 5.
Collaborative police efforts determined the location to be the Santa Barbara Cemetery on Channel Drive. Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Deputies located Huggins and took him into custody around 2 p.m. that day.
“While in their custody, he made incriminating statements regarding his involvement in the arson and was found to have sustained minor burns consistent with his activities during the incident,” KSNV reported.
Huggins faces first-degree arson charges. As of Sunday, he was held in Santa Barbara County Jail.
Anyone who may have information about this case is urged to contact Commander Jeff Lomprey with the North Las Vegas Fire Department Fire Investigation Division at 702-669-3339.
I hope he gets help and gets better.