Three people have been arrested in connection with a vehicle fire that happened in Welsh last month.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFM), in collaboration with several law enforcement agencies, accuse the trio of conspiring to set the fire to collect insurance money, according to a Facebook post.
Brown Peller, 54, was taken into custody by Rayville Police and booked on one count each of Arson with Intent to Defraud and Criminal Conspiracy. He faces charges from additional agencies as well.
John Pitre, 43, was booked on one count of Simple Arson. Additional charges are expected.
Tammy Royster, 43, was taken into custody by the Jennings Police Department and booked on one count each of Arson with Intent to Defraud and Criminal Conspiracy. All were booked into the Jefferson Davis Parish Jail.
In the late evening hours of August 6, the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office contacted the SFM to request assistance determining the origin and cause of a vehicle fire located in the 25000 block of Highway 3086 in the Welsh area.
Deputies learned the truck, owned by Peller, had been sitting at that location for most of the week and had been reported stolen on August 2. After an assessment of the scene, investigators determined the fire was intentionally set.
Through extensive investigative efforts, Pitre was identified as a suspect in the case. On September 17, Pitre was taken into custody with the assistance of the Jefferson Davis Sheriff’s Office. In an interview with investigators, Pitre allegedly admitted setting the truck on fire with the assistance of Royster and that Peller paid him to do it because he’d been having motor trouble with the truck.
Once Peller and Royster were in custody, both allegedly admitted to their roles in the fire.
Here's the post:
