RICHMOND, Ind. — A Richmond man allegedly set a city-owned barn on fire last last month.
Indiana’s public court filings indicate Kirk Lynch faces a Level 4 Felony arson charge. According to an affidavit for probable cause, the 61-year-old’s residence is located near the site of the fire.
The fire broke out at 358 Northwest 4th Street, which is where one of the City of Richmond’s barns is located. Investigators reported that the barn contained a large amount of plastic and was ruled a total loss after the fire.
Court documents indicate officers identified Lynch as suspect after reviewing security camera footage provided by two businesses in the area.
Investigators interviewed Lynch at the time the fire broke out, but did not connect him to the crime. The details he provided during his initial interview with investigators did not match what the security cameras captured, per court documents.
Lynch initially told investigators he knew nothing about the fire, and that he had arrived at his home after fire trucks had responded to the area. Court documents indicate security camera footage showed Lynch arriving at his house before crews responded to the barn fire.
Officers later visited Lynch’s residence in an attempt to conduct a follow-up interview with him. While investigators were at Lynch’s home, he agreed to meet them at the Richmond police station for a follow-up interview, per court documents.
Officers reported that Lynch never came to the police station. He also did not contact investigators to reschedule, according to court documents.
A court date has not yet been set for Lynch’s case. In Indiana, the maximum penalty for a Level 4 Felony is a 12-year prison sentence a fine of up to $10,000.
