Police say Chaffee man set woman's clothes, house on fire

A Chaffee, Missouri, man ignited a fire at a house Monday after he made threats to burn the clothes of a former female occupant, police said.

The Scott County Prosecuting Attorney’s office charged Jeremy A. Penrose, 29, with second-degree arson and set his bond at $10,000 cash or surety.

Firefighters went to the fire inside a house at 328 E. Davidson St. about 5:15 p.m. Scott City firefighters provided mutual aid. The fire caused about $10,000 in damage, according to a probable-cause affidavit from Chaffee police officer T. Heath Orr.

Missouri Division of Fire Safety officers Della Moore and Jason Dunn investigated the fire Monday and ruled out accidental and electrical causes because the electricity was not in service at the time, Orr wrote. Moore and Dunn determined the fire started in a bedroom and was incendiary, according to the affidavit.

Orr talked to a previous resident who said Penrose was living at the house and threatened to burn her clothes, Orr wrote.

She provided text messages to corroborate her statement, according to the affidavit.

About 9:30 p.m., Penrose was apprehended, and Moore read him his Miranda rights to remain silent, Orr wrote. Penrose agreed to waive his rights and said he started the fire by throwing a cigarette on a shirt in a bedroom drawer, according to the affidavit.

Penrose was found to be on probation for driving while revoked April 25 in Cape Girardeau County, Orr wrote. He told Orr he had used methamphetamine the past three days after Orr requested a urine sample, according to the affidavit.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

328 E. Davidson St., Chaffee, Mo.