Cape man charged with July 4 arson at law office

At least one Cape Girardeau arson has been solved, according to Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle.

Jeffrey V. Mirgeaux, 47, of Cape Girardeau was arrested Wednesday in connection with the July 4 fire at the building belonging to the Lowes and Drusch Law Firm, at 2913 Independence St.

Bond was set at $100,000 cash, Swingle said.

According to the probable-cause statement, Mirgeaux set the fire by climbing onto the roof, drilling a hole into the law firm's file room, pouring a flammable liquid into the hole and lighting it.

The fire caused $2,886.75 in damage.

Police found a fresh cigarette at the scene and sent it for DNA analysis by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. By July 5, Cape Girardeau police Detective Jimmy Smith was interviewing Mirgeaux, who denied involvement and refused to submit to a DNA test.

Smith pursued an investigative subpoena, Swingle said, which is a tool "that's come about in the last six to 10 years. You can do a subpoena to force a person to bring evidentiary items to the prosecutor's office and that has been construed to force a person to give a DNA sample."

Lab analysis indicted the two samples matched in a way that was unique to 1 in 25.8 quadrillion people in the Caucasian population, according to the probable-cause statement.

"If you went with the .8, we'd be OK," Swingle said.

Swingle said the biggest surprise in the case was learning the attack was aimed at Walter Drusch.

"There was a dispute involving child custody, where Walter Drusch was the lawyer for the ex-wife," Swingle said. "Everybody who knows Al Lowes figured it was aimed at him."

Mirgeaux is set to appear before Judge Gary Kamp today on a felony charge of second-degree arson. Because Mirgeaux has a history of felony convictions, he could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Walter Drusch did not return calls seeking comment.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127