Mountain View, MO. – A Mountain View man was recently arrested after being accused of starting a fire in a home that he used to rent. He is now facing charges of arson, breaking and entering, and a misdemeanor charge of assault- 3rd degree.
On May 27, 2024, the Mountain View Police Department arrested 73-year-old Marvin Wright after the fire was started. According to the probable cause affidavit, Wright had recently vacated the house after the owners kicked him out for being behind on his rent payments. Wright had refused to give the keys back to the owners which had caused them to change the locks. Shortly after the locks were changed the owners received a call that someone had broken into the house. When they arrived on the scene, Wright was sitting across the street and told them, ” I know how to shimmy a lock.”
When the owner went into the residence, he smelled smoke. The first officer called the fire department before going in to find a mattress inside the house on fire. The officer tried putting it out with two fire extinguishers and a garden hose but was unable to. The Mountain View Fire Department arrived shortly after to put it out.
While investigating the cause of the fire, officers found a burned rolled-up piece of paper under the mattress and multiple witnesses reported seeing Wright inside the house before the fire started. Damage to the house is reported to be around $15,000.
Wright is being held at the Stone County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
