Kendall cops file charges in repeated 2007 fires at same Oswego house
By Matt Hanley mhanley@stmedianetwork.com October 30, 2012 6:52PM
Updated: October 30, 2012 9:55PM
Kendall County sheriff deputies believe a 29-year-old Plainfield man was responsible for at least one of three fires that occurred at an Oswego home in 2007.
This week, the sheriff’s office charged Keenan W. Slagel, of the 24000 block of Caton Farm Road, with felony arson.
Police charged Slagel with starting a fire at a home in the 0-99 block of Winding Creek Road, near Oswego, on April 21, 2007. Firefighters were called to the same home for fires on March 31, 2007, and Oct. 11, 2007. The sheriff’s office said all three fires were determined to be arson.
According to Kendall County Deputy Bryan Harl, the house was a large home and the total damages from the three fires was more than $2 million. The fires caused extensive damage to the home, which was eventually rebuilt.
The fires started to occur shortly after the house was bought by new owners, police said. Harl did not say how the fires were started. No one was injured in any of the incidents.
In 2012, the sheriff’s office received a tip that Slagel may have been involved in starting at least one of the fires. Police said Slagel was not related to the new homeowners, but they would not comment on a motive.
While as of Tuesday, police had only charged Slagel with starting the April 2007 fire, Harl said they are not looking for suspects in the other two fires.
“We are certainly happy to put a conclusion to this case,” Harl said.
Slagel was arrested Monday at his home. He was being held at the Kendall County jail in Yorkville Tuesday night on $500,000 bail.
