A Florida man has been arrested after police allege he intentionally set fire to his home, killing four people and several pets inside.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) shared in a news release that it has arrested Shawn Gossett, 25, on four counts of murder in the first degree while engaged in arson, three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, and one count of arson of a dwelling.
Police said they received a report about a “potential fire” on Wednesday, July 31, at around 12 a.m. local time at a home on South County Line Road near Lakeland, Fla.
After the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue worked on extinguishing the house fire, they found four people deceased inside the mobile home, along with the bodies of three dogs, Chief Joseph Maurer said in a press conference. They also “located” Gossett uninjured “adjacent to the residence.”
Through their investigation, Gossett, who lived at the home, “admitted” to “intentionally starting a fire in the home” with the “intent to burn the house down,” Maurer shared. He said that the 25-year-old told detectives that he used a “BIC lighter” to start the fire “on some paper towels.”
Maurer noted that detectives were still trying to figure out the “details” of the fire and Gossett’s “motive.”
“This is an utterly senseless and horrific crime where four innocent lives were tragically taken due to the evil actions of this man,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement in the release.
“I want to commend our detectives and our partners at Hillsborough County Fire Rescue for their swift actions which resulted in the arrest of this individual and their relentless efforts to ensure justice is served,” he added.
The HCSO said it is working with the Medical Examiner’s Office and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue on “positively identifying the victims” of the fire, who were all adults. He also said that their names will be revealed after their family members have been notified.
Maurer told reporters at the press conference that Gossett “was friends with the family,” though police did not know “the extent” of the relationship “they had.” He added that they were “still working” to figure that out, as well as how the family got “trapped inside” the home.
“I know that they could not get out. The manner and reason why they could not get out, I cannot get into that right now. We’re still working through that,” Maurer said.
Maybe this man would like to taste what he did to others
This guy is just a complete pos, should get the death penalty but I’m sure he won’t.
Few ststes have a death penalty now. Even fewer use it. And when they do use that penalty, the process takes years. Too many appeals.