A massive investigation is underway in Monroe County following a deadly January 18 house fire that claimed the lives of three women and left a community in shock.
Authorities have arrested Braydon Blake, who is accused of intentionally torching a residence in the 3800 block of East Anderson Road while his own family members were trapped inside.
The tragedy unfolded at 2:39 a.m. when multiple 911 callers reported a structure fire with people unable to escape. When Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies and fire crews arrived on the scene near Bloomington, they found a vehicle had crashed into the home’s attached garage as flames consumed the building.
One survivor, an 18-year-old woman, managed to escape but suffered severe burns. A second person also made it out; however, that individual—identified as 53-year-old Paula Anderson—died several weeks later from her injuries.
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Inside the home, fire personnel discovered the bodies of 74-year-old Mary Blake, who was battling cancer, and 33-year-old Kristine Rowan, a woman with cerebral palsy who was bedridden.
While fire crews fought the blaze, a massive search was launched for the person responsible. About an hour later, with help from the Bloomington Police Department and Indiana State Police, deputies located Blake hiding in a wooded area on the property.
He was also suffering from burn injuries and was transported to IU Health Bloomington before being moved to an Indianapolis hospital.
The case took a frustrating turn when Blake was released from the hospital on April 1 without notification to the Sheriff’s Office. After discovering he was free, deputies teamed up with U.S. Marshals to track him down, eventually making an arrest in Avon this past Friday.
Lindsey Pesonen, a relative of the victims, described the devastation in a statement, noting that the victims’ lives and belongings were “reduced to ashes” in a matter of moments. “The fire, set by a member of the older woman’s family, took the lives of his own grandmother and my 33-year-old niece,” she wrote.
The investigation remains active, involving the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Monroe County Coroner’s Office.
Blake is currently being held without bond at the Monroe County Jail on charges of murder and arson. Investigators believe the motive for the attack may be linked to a prior rape allegation against the defendant.
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