Accomack County Arsons

Posted below is the Press Release from the state and local investigators concerning the serial arsonist in Accomack County.  It highlights what type of person they think this person may be.

For the past few days there has been much speculation among citizens  as to who this person(s) in the Accomack County area could be.  I have gathered information from my many posts on here and feel the need to try to bring all of this up to speed the best I possibly can.  Maybe this will help squash any rumors that may be still floating around.....

David Clifton Parks

David C. Parks was arrested and sentenced for the many fires he set in Wicomico County in 2006.  He was a fireman and it was once believed that Parks had set fire to the Bloxom firehouse but later confirmed that he did not.  A resident of Melfa, Vriginia at the time.  He was sentenced to 8 yr. in jail with 3 yrs. probation but was released before  all time was served.  (I am

Sheephouse Rd. Barn Fire
Photo Wor. Co. Fire Marshall's Office

sure this was within the legal guide lines)   In April 2012, in an investigation by the Worcester County Fire Marshall's Office, Worcester County Bureau of Investigation and Virginia State Police, Parks was arrested once again for arson and other charges.  To the best of my knowledge he remains in the Worcester County Jail with a trial in January 2013.

Red Hill
Photo BW

There were two barn fires.  There were also numerous fires around Accomack County during April and to my knowledge no arrests have been made.  One of those fires including the burning of the wooded area located in the Red Hills area.

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James M. Wood

James. M. Wood was arrested along with three juveniles for setting fires between September 23 and November 30, 2011.

Fires they were charged with:

Sept. 23 – 26000 block of Saxis Road
Oct. 16 – Stump Town Road
Oct. 24 – Hammock Road
Nov. 26 – Wessells Farm Road
Nov. 30 – 23000 block of Belinda Road

House Fire/Saxis Road
Photo BW

Two of the fires occurred in vacant houses and the other three were brush fires.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fires.

Photo on right was once a general store and until it was burned was home for seasonal workers and only occupied a few weeks during the summer months.  Since the fire the area has been cleaned and all debris was removed. 

I have no record to indicate that Wood and the three juveniles have been to court on this matter.

REPOST

STATE AND LOCAL INVESTIGATORS PURSUING LEADS IN
SEARCH FOR ACCOMACK COUNTY SERIAL ARSONIST

$5,000 Reward for InformationVSP arson investigators and the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office are working several new leads in their efforts to identify and apprehend a serial arsonist at work in Accomack County. Since Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012, through the morning of Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, a total of 20 abandoned structures have been destroyed by fire at various locations within the Eastern Shore county. There were no fires set overnight Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, or overnight Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012.

The locations of the arsons have ranged from Melfa to Parksley to Oak Hall. The fires target abandoned structures, to include vacated houses, abandoned barns and even chicken coops. The fires have been set any time between 8:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. in the morning. No injuries or deaths have resulted from the fires.

"The Accomack County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police have received a significant number of tips related to these arsons," said Accomack County Sheriff Todd E. Godwin. "We want to thank the many residents who have reached out to us in the past week with information. As a result of the public’s overwhelming response and assistance, we have developed several strong leads we are currently pursuing at this time."

Investigators are still encouraging anyone with information about the fires or recalls seeing any vehicles or individual(s) near the destroyed structures is encouraged to call the Virginia State Police Chesapeake Headquarters toll-free at 1-800-582-8350 or at (757) 424-6820; or contact the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office at (757) 787-1131.

"Based on our ongoing investigation, we feel certain that the person or persons responsible for these fires is a resident of Accomack County and is known to local residents," said Capt. Tim Reibel, Commander of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Chesapeake Field Office. "This individual is going to be coming and going at different hours of the night, may be acting differently in his or her behavior, and will probably show an unusual interest in media coverage of the fires and/or consistently steer conversations to talking about the fires."

Information that leads to an arrest and conviction could result in an award of up to $5,000 from the Virginia Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators (http://www.vaiaai.com/