Milwaukee arson: Man accused of setting fire to ex-girlfriend’s home

MILWAUKEE – A Milwaukee A man faces criminal charges and is accused of setting his ex-girlfriend’s house on fire. The dog died as a result of the fire.

Prosecutors charged Jose Jimenez-Turrell, 50, with arson of a building, burglary of a building or dwelling, disorderly conduct (domestic violence assessment) and cruelty to animals.

According to the criminal case, Milwaukee Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire near 28th Street and Greenfield Avenue on Monday, October 28th.

As a result of the fire, a two-story private house was damaged. The dog was found dead from smoke inhalation. The source of the fire was a mattress in the rear bedroom, according to the complaint.

Police reviewed surveillance footage of the house and saw how on the day of the fire a man in a blue Chevrolet Aveo drove up to the house, took a can of gasoline from the trunk and entered the house through the front door. According to the complaint, the video shows a man leaving the house with a container.

The fire was reported less than 10 minutes later.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines and breaking news emails from FOX6 News.

Officers then contacted the owner of the damaged home. She identified Jose Jimenez-Tarrell as her ex-boyfriend, her live-in partner, and said they broke up last year. She stated that Jimenez-Turrell was driving a blue Chevrolet Aveo. She provided police with a likely address where they could find him.

Jimenez-Turrell was located at the address and taken into custody.

A search warrant was executed for a blue Chevrolet Aveo. Inside the vehicle, police found gloves and clothing matching those worn by the subject in the surveillance video. Lighters capable of igniting liquid flammable gas were also located.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts with the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.

After his arrest, Jimenez-Turrell admitted that he was driving a blue Chevrolet Aveo on the day of the fire and that he had a red gasoline can. He stated that this container is designed for yard work. Jimenez-Turrell denied going into the house but agreed he went there to get money, which he said was supposed to be left in the mailbox.

Jimenez-Turrell claimed he couldn’t get into the house because he didn’t have a key. Police later learned from the homeowner that one of the keys to her home was missing.

Jimenez-Turrell will appear in court Nov. 12 for a preliminary hearing.