Auburn house fires investigation leads to break in church fires

An investigation into five house fires last month in Auburn helped lead to the arrests of four people in connection with February church fires in Chambers and Lee counties, Alabama Fire Marshal Ed Paulk said Monday.

“Often, when you’re talking to someone about a case, it will spur someone’s memory about something else,” he said.

The investigation into the house fires turned up leads in connection with the February church fires that resulted in the arrests of Christopher Michael Ware, Taylor Hensley Jennings, Cody Lauren Jasper and Phillip Joel Chapman, all 20 and of Auburn. All four were charged each with two counts of second-degree arson and third-degree burglary in Chambers County, and one count each of second-degree arson and third-degree burglary in Lee County, according to a fire marshal’s release.

The February fires destroyed two churches in Chambers County and damaged one in Lee County, Paulk said.

Paulk wouldn’t provide details about information that lead to the arrests in the church fires or what the motive might have been, as the cases are still under investigation.

The investigation into the five Auburn house fires on May 13 is also ongoing.

The five houses in the Tuscany Hills subdivision in Auburn were close together and unoccupied. The fires destroyed four houses under construction and damaged a fifth, Auburn fire officials said at the time.

Fire officials have said the fire appeared to have spread from the center house and none of the houses were connected to electricity. Investigators have described the fires as “suspicious,” but have not ruled them as arson.

“We’re working hard on trying to finalize the investigation and get where we can make a release,” Paulk said.

It’s difficult to investigate a house that was under construction, Paulk said. Although the damage is similar to that of a completed house, the pattern and spread of the fire is much different in an unfinished house, he said.

Anyone with information about the Tuscany Hills fires is asked to call the fire marshal’s hotline at 1-800-654-0775.