Police arrested a man Tuesday for allegedly setting fires to homes he claimed housed child molesters, The Herald Bulletin reported.
Anderson police detained Adam N. Kinnard, 33, following the incidents, according to The Herald Bulletin. A probable cause affidavit presented by Detective Brett Webb said Kinnard confessed to deliberately igniting the fires and allegedly claimed the residences were of individuals listed on the sex offender registry.
Kinnard allegedly used his cellphone to identify these locations, according to the outlet. The fires occurred sequentially from 5:18 a.m. to 8:11 a.m. at four distinct addresses within central Anderson, all within proximity to each other and Kinnard’s own residence, The Herald Bulletin reported.
According to court documents in the case, the 33-year-old suspect told police he used his phone to find the homes of people on the sex offender registry list. https://t.co/o3sRlSnjNa
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Authorities were alerted to the fire by a school bus driver who said he noticed a suspicious individual described as wearing a Carhartt jacket and plaid pajama pants, according to the outlet. This description later reportedly matched Kinnard, who was apprehended while walking away from a porch. Although Kinnard claimed he was visiting a friend at the residence, the homeowner denied knowing him, according to The Herald Bulletin.
During his arrest, police discovered Kinnard allegedly possessed three lighters and had burn marks on his clothing, the outlet reported. Surveillance footage further allegedly linked him to the vicinity of the fires, according to The Herald Bulletin. (RELATED: Police Arrest Woman In Tennessee Who Allegedly Tried Setting Ex-Boyfriend’s Bed On Fire While His Family Slept)
Kinnard’s arrest escalated when he appeared to threaten an officer during questioning, leading to his immediate restraint, the outlet reported. The Madison County Prosecutor’s Office has been tasked with filing formal charges within a 72-hour window, according to The Herald Bulletin.