Posted on 04/18/2018 11:53:42 AM PDT by Heart of Georgia
RIVERDALE — The Noah’s Ark Road stable fire that killed two dozen horses was intentionally set, fire officials announced Wednesday.
Stockbridge man charged with arson in stable fire that killed 24 horses
Jonathan Espinoza-Vasquez
The man believed to be responsible for the fire is now in police custody. Jonathan Espinoza-Vasquez, 23, of Stockbridge was arrested Thursday, April 12. Because he has pending charges in Henry County, he is currently being held in the Henry County Jail and is expected to face charges of first degree arson and aggravated animal cruelty in Clayton once those charges are disposed.
“We believe that the fire was intentionally set in retaliation for a domestic incident relating to a member of Mr. Espinoza’s family and members of the property owner’s family,” Fire Chief Landry Merkison said during a press conference Wednesday morning at fire headquarters. “At this point, we are declaring this fire was arson.”
Merkison said investigators are still looking into just what would incite Espinoza-Vasquez to allegedly set fire to a stable with horses still inside. When firefighters arrived on the scene just before midnight on April 4, the stable was fully engulfed in flames.
Twenty-four horses trapped inside the two-story structure did not survive. Only one was able to escape, but it was burned and injured.
Stockbridge man charged with arson in stable fire that killed 24 horses
Two dozen horses were killed just before midnight April 4 in a stable fire on Noah’s Ark Road. The stable was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. (Special Photo)
Deputy Chief Fire Marshal David Vazquez said Espinoza-Vasquez was at one time in a relationship with the daughter of the property owner at 1877 Noah’s Ark Road. The couple share an infant child. At some time prior to April 4, members of the property owner’s family allegedly assaulted someone related to Espinoza-Vasquez, prompting him to return to the property where the mother of his child resides, Vazquez said.
The alleged assault is currently under investigation with the Clayton County Police Department. Charges are expected in that incident, though Vazquez said that Espinoza-Vasquez was not expected to be considered a suspect in that case.
Espinoza-Vasquez was wanted in Henry County for failure to appear on misdemeanor charges of obstructing an officer, fleeing or eluding police, and driving without a valid license or without proof of insurance. According to fire officials, Espinoza-Vasquez is a Mexican citizen and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a hold on him while he’s in custody.
He is set to appear for a preliminary hearing in Henry County on May 8.
Merkison said Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services received several tips from community members and through Crime Stoppers in relation to the stable fire. It was the first tip received through Crime Stoppers that led to the break in the case.
“We thank that person for coming forward, and, through some social media posts and some texts that they were able to share, it’s what led us to Espinoza,” Vazquez said.
While he is denying any involvement in the fire, officials said, police have evidence that connects Espinoza-Vasquez to the property on the night of the fire. At this point in the investigation, they are not able to determine how or where the fire was started because of the amount of hay and other flammable material inside.
There was no electricity running to the stable or any other sources that could cause an accidental fire, Vazquez said.
He said that authorities are still working to track down the owners of the horses so that the district attorney can make a determination on the number of charges, and he believes that Espinoza-Vasquez was not acting alone.
“This is an ongoing investigation,” Vazquez said. “Those (suspected family) members are going to be investigated and we are going to bring them to justice as well.”
Aw come on!! They’re only killing the animals that American citizens don’t want to kill...
“Stockbridge man charged ...”
Nooooo, he’s not.
OMG. The terror and pain those poor horses must have suffered. Burn this b__rd the same way. Or knife him 24 times. Either works for me.
But but but..Jerry Brown just said on TV that the crime rate does not go up because of illegal aliens.
Diversity! Every diversity story is different yet they are all the same.
My heart is crushed for each horse burned alive.
This should fire up the liberals. They get much nastier over dead horses than dead people. Lots of liberals will be mad at this illegal alien.
Actually, the Leftists bleeding hearts for illegals might not be so sympathetic to this guy ..... kill a few Americans, meh. Kill beautiful, wonderful horses - burn the guy at the stake.
Act of love........Yeb!
Family values don’t stop at the Rio Grande.......GWB
HLM, Horse Lives Matter
Yes. It must have been horrible. Horses are smart enough to know when they are trapped or in danger, and they communicate with each other quite a bit. They all knew what was coming.
“My heart is crushed..”
I know...mine too.
The left always does that..instead of saying HES AN ILLEGAL ALIEN..they will say “A Los Angeles man” or “A Stockbridge man” NO, he’s an illegal alien SCUMBAG
I understand that this piece of vile excrement actually had a CHILD with the property owner's daughter. I can't even process the thought, that any decent woman would want to couple with that filthy animal. And when they had a domestic dispute, he further proves, beyond a shadow of doubt, that he is nothing but degenerate vermin, burning up two dozen beautiful innocent horses as "get back". You miserable insignificant vermin. Stab him, burn him, crush him under a large boulder so he lays dying in pain for hours. Any of those are good.
While it’s probably wrong to speculate in this direction, I do know that stable fires lead to insurance claims and horses are very expensive. That the arsonist is connected to the stable owner in any way whatsoever gives me pause, as I’m sure it will for the insurance company.
Stockbridge where?
.
I wonder if he hadn’t been hired by this family to work at the barn in the first place. Many stable owners pay little to nothing for workers and prefer their cheap labor.
Georgia
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