Police: Man set fire to house with children inside
Published 8:55 pm Monday, April 12, 2021
Doris Maricle
OAKDALE – An Oakdale man is accused of making homemade explosive devices and setting fire to a house with four of his relatives, including children, inside.
Craig Paul, 49, allegedly set fire to the home occupied by two women and two children.
The damage was limited to a tarp located on the exterior of the home, State Fire Marshal’s Office spokesperson Ashely Rodrigue said in a statement.
Paul was arrested Thursday on charges of aggravated arson and two counts of manufacture and possession of a delayed action incendiary device.
He remained in the Allen Parish Jail Saturday on a $90,000 bond.
The arrest followed an investigation into an April 6 house fire in Oakdale in which suspicious objects were discovered.
After an assessment of the scene, including witness statements and evidence collected, investigators determined the suspicious objects were homemade explosive devices and that Paul was a person of interest in the case, Rodrigue said in a statement.
Paul admitted to making the devices and setting the tarp on fire during questioning. He attributed use of illegal narcotics and struggles with mental illness as reasons for his actions.
The Oakdale Police Department and Louisiana State Police assisted in the investigation,
Craig Paul, 49, allegedly set fire to the home occupied by two women and two children.
