Arrest in arson fire that killed three OU Alpha Gams...

[DeltAlum]

OU Lioness posted this in the original thread about this tragedy, but I think a lot of people will want to know about this, so I'm going to repost it.

it's bee a while but you all will be happy to know
Man charged in arson at OSU

By Jordan Gentile
Enquirer Columbus Bureau

Robert Patterson is charged with arson and murder

COLUMBUS - A man who police said made his living stealing car stereos apparently picked a rooming house near Ohio State University at random to set the April 13 fire that killed five college students, including two from Greater Cincinnati, authorities said.

Robert Lucky Patterson, 20, was charged with five counts of aggravated murder, three counts of attempted aggravated murder and nine counts of aggravated arson.

Patterson set fire to a couch on the front porch of the rooming house, said Detective Mike McCann, the lead investigator in the case.

"He picked that house, as far as we can tell, at random," McCann said.

Authorities did not discuss a possible motive. "He'll have to answer that," McCann said.

The blaze killed two Ohio State students and three from Ohio University - including Andrea Kali Dennis, 20, of Madeira, and Kyle Raulin, 20, of West Chester Township. The victims had been among the 80 people who earlier had attended a 21st birthday party at the house for one of those killed.

Fire Capt. Steve Saltsman said more charges were likely.

Fourteen people were in the house when the fire started just after 4 a.m. Five died, six escaped uninjured, and firefighters rescued three others.

Three tips from the public linking Patterson to the scene led authorities to the suspect. He was arrested following a 3 1/2-hour interview with police Friday.

"He made statements that implicated himself in the fire," McCann said.

Police said they believe Patterson was involved in a fight or argument behind the house in the evening, and was spotted at the scene again around the time of the fire. He was not an Ohio State student but lived in the area. Police say Patterson supported himself by stealing radios from college students' cars and that he was stealing radios the night of the fire.

Although Patterson has the same last name as one of the students injured in the fire - Josh Patterson, an OSU student from West Chester - McCann said they were not related.

"There was no relationship with anyone in the house," he said. "He seemed to pick the house at random."

McCann said Patterson didn't confess. But, the detective said he "expressed remorse" and "was well aware of the tragedy" of the event.

Patterson has a minor arrest record and has lived in Columbus for several years but moved often, police said.

"He had no visible means of support other than stealing," McCann said.

Patterson made pizzas at Ohio State Pizza near campus for seven or eight months, but was fired before the blaze at the house, co-workers said.

They described Patterson as a heavy drinker who was easygoing but unhappy.

"He felt like his family didn't love him," Rich Alcott, 36, said while making pizzas Friday. "He was just a sad, sad person. He laughed all the time, but he didn't seem happy."

Patterson, who didn't have an attorney, was being held in the Franklin County jail Friday, said deputy Craig Brafford.

He was to be arraigned today, and prosecutors will ask that he be held without bond.

"We still consider him a danger to the community," said Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien.

He said no decision had been made on whether to seek the death penalty if Patterson is convicted of aggravated murder.

University officials praised the police for their diligence.

"To a university dealing with such a horrific crime, to bring people to justice is just terrific news," said Bill Hall, OSU's vice president for student affairs.

"Our sympathy and prayers go out to the families."

Patterson has taken a polygraph test, but police would not discuss the results. By the time of Patterson's arrest, police say they had interviewed him several times and that he was their only suspect.

Police notified the public two weeks ago that they were looking for a "person of interest" who might know something about the crime and described him as a 5-foot-11, 200-pound white male with blond hair who wore a dark jacket.

OSU President Karen A. Holbrook said late Friday that those at the college are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the investigators.

"From the start, investigators were unrelenting in their commitment to solving this crime, and they engaged the entire community to assist them in their efforts," she said. "The arrest is an important first step in helping our community bring some closure to this tragedy. The hearts of everyone in the Ohio State family remain with the families and friends of the five students who died.

"May they take some comfort in the arrest and know that their children, brothers and sisters will be remembered for their contributions to the lives of everyone they touched."

Enquirer reporter Kristina Goetz and the Associated Press contributed to this story.


http://www.enquirer.com/editions/20.../loc_osu02.html

[DeltAlum]

Here's the story from The Lantern, Ohio's State's newspaper:

Arson suspect held without bail
Local resident arraigned yesterday in connection with East 17th Avenue blaze

By Mandy Heth

PATTERSON

Robert Lucky Patterson, 20, faced his first of many court appearances yesterday, when Judge Stephen B. Hayes denied him bond during his arraignment.

"We would have liked a bond to have been set," said public defender Mitchell Adel.

Adel said they would try to have a bond set again at yesterday's preliminary hearing, but refused to comment on any other questions. He said Patterson would not be releasing a statement.

Patterson was arrested Friday after a jacket police believed to have been worn by the arson suspect was found in his old apartment.

He was charged with nine counts of aggravated arson, five counts of aggravated murder and three counts of attempted aggravated murder in connection with the April 13 fire at 64 E. 17th Ave.

This is not Patterson's first run-in with the law.

County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien told WBNS-TV Patterson had once set fire to the mobile home his mother lived in when she kicked him out.

Since 1992, at the age of 10, Patterson has had a record of violent behavior. Franklin County Juvenile Court records show that at 13, Patterson was deemed a juvenile delinquent after he threw a rock at a car from an overpass on Rt. 315.

Patterson dropped out of Teays Valley High School in Ashville, Ohio, before completing his sophomore year.

In 2001, he was charged with criminal damaging, criminal mischief, littering and underage drinking.

Patterson is believed to have been in an altercation earlier in the evening on the night of the fire and to have returned around 4 a.m. and set fire to a couch on the front porch.

The fire claimed the lives of five college students. Kyle Raulin and Alan Schlessmen, both 21, were students at Ohio State and Christine Wilson, 19, Andrea Dennis, 20, and Erin DeMarco, 19, were sorority sisters from Ohio University in town to celebrate Schlessman's 21st birthday.

"The hearts of everyone in the Ohio State family remain with the families and friends of the five students who died. May they take some comfort in the arrest and know that their children, brothers and sisters will be remembered for their contributions to the lives of everyone they touched," President Karen Holbrook said.

Parents of the victims and the prosecutor could not be reached for comment.


And this from the Post at Ohio University:

Columbus police arrest suspect in OSU fire that killed 3 OU students

by Matt Hutton
City Editor
matthew.hutton@ohiou.edu


An arrest has been made in the Ohio State University arson that killed 5 students, including 3 Ohio University Students.

Robert Patterson, 20, was arrested Friday morning after investigators went to his house asked him to come in for questioning, Columbus Police Department spokeswoman Sherry Mercurio said.

Patterson, who is not an OSU student, was charged with nine counts of aggravated arson, five counts of aggravated murder and three counts of attempted aggravated murder. Mercuiro said the prosecutor could add additional charges later on.

Investigators believe the arson was random and that Patterson did not know anyone at the party or in the house.

"He had zero to do with the people inside the house," she said. "It was just a random house he chose."

When brought in for questioning, police talked to him for three and a half hours and, based on information they already had and information gathered from him, arrested Patterson in the afternoon. Investigators had three people contact them through Crime Stoppers to report Patterson as a possible suspect, Mercuiro said.

Witnesses said Patterson was in the area at the time of the fire, around 4 a.m. Earlier that night, he had been involved in an altercation in a parking area where he was stealing car radios and selling them. He left and returned later. However, police have not located anyone who saw him set the fire.

Patterson is the same suspect police released a description of in July. He is a white male, 5-foot 11-inches, weighing about 200 pounds with medium-length shaggy blonde hair. At the time of the incident he was wearing a blue-black jean jacket with a "Snoop Dogg" logo on it with the letters "SDC" printed underneath.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said Patterson would be arraigned Saturday morning, and it will be requested that he be held without bond.

"We still consider him a danger to the community," O'Brien said.

He said no decision has been made on whether to seek the death penalty if Patterson is convicted of aggravated murder.

The OU students killed in the fire were Andrea K. Dennis, 20, of Madeira near Cincinnati; Erin M. DeMarco, 19, of Canton; and Christine Wilson, 19, of the Columbus suburb of Dublin. The OSU students were Alan Schlessman, 21, of Perkins Township near Sandusky; Kyle Raulin 20, of West Chester.

The three women were members of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. Chapter adviser Susan Chiki said she was not overly optimistic about the arrest.

"It might bring some closure," she said. "But from my viewpoint I don't think it's going to make that much of a difference" because it will not bring the victims back.

Chiki said sorority members are planning to create a garden as a memorial to the women, but details about the location of the garden are still undecided.

OU Dean of students Terry Hogan said he was appreciative of the Columbus Police's efforts in investigating this case and he hopes the arrest brings "some degree of relief or encouragement" to the victims' families.

Mercurio said the police tried to keep the families as informed as the investigation allowed but were careful not to "jump the gun."

"If a lead dries up, we don't want to revicitimize them," she said.

— Nick Juliano and The Associated Press Contributed to this article

[Tom Earp]

DELTAAlum.

Thank You for posting this!


Hopefully there can be some Closer for the Loved ones of the victums!

All of the things going on right now are scarry!

Maybe one down, hope if happens again will be down quick!

[OUlioness01]

http://www.enquirer.com/midday/08/08..._mday_osu.html

OSU arson charges may be dropped

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A prosecutor said he was considering dropping charges against a man suspected of starting the fire that killed five college students - including two from Greater Cincinnati - in a house near Ohio State University.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said he questioned the charges after reviewing a videotaped police interview with Robert Lucky Patterson and interviewing five witnesses whose statements would be critical to gaining an indictment.

"It is rare for our office to interview witnesses prior to presenting a case to the grand jury like that," O'Brien told The Columbus Dispatch for a story today.

The police, fire department and FBI have been asked to forward all their files and evidence to the prosecutor's office, O'Brien said.

He wouldn't say what on the videotape has caused him to reconsider the charges. He will meet with the victims' families today to discuss the case, The Dispatch said.

The blaze killed two Ohio State students and three from Ohio University - including Andrea Kali Dennis, 20, of Madeira, and Kyle Raulin, 20, of West Chester Township. The victims had been among the 80 people who earlier had attended a 21st birthday party at the house for one of those killed.

O'Brien said the decision to dismiss the charges has to be made before Monday, the deadline for seeking an indictment.

If charges against Patterson are dismissed, they can be refiled at any time, O'Brien said.

Police have said Patterson made incriminating statements against himself and that they had witnesses who placed him in the area on the night of the April 13 fire, stealing car stereos.

Homicide Lt. Mary Kerins, acting commander of the detective bureau that is handling the case, said police had worked closely with O'Brien in filing the charges.

She said he was well aware of what evidence they had.

"We were in multiple meetings and discussions about this with prosecutors," Kerins said.

O'Brien said he approved Patterson's arrest a week ago after police told him they had a confession.

Patterson was charged with five counts of aggravated murder, three counts of attempted aggravated murder and nine counts of aggravated arson.

On Monday, a Franklin County Municipal judge ordered Patterson held without bail after prosecutors said he had threatened witnesses to the fire at the three-story rooming house.

[DeltAlum]

It will be highly unfortunate if the authorities arrested the wrong person. Let's hope that further investigation will resolve the situation.

I can't help but hope that the individual they arrested is the murderer and faces justice.

[AOIIalum]

http://www.nbc4columbus.com/news/239...09100008112003

O'Brien Wants More Investigation

UPDATED: 11:24 a.m. EDT August 11, 2003

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- All charges have been dismissed against a man accused of setting a deadly fire near the Ohio State campus, NewsChannel 4's Holly Hollingsworth reported.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien announced the decision at an 11 a.m. news conference.

"This does not clear Robert Patterson, but it does release him from custody today," O'Brien said.

Questions over the evidence in the case drastically changed the case against Robert Lucky Patterson (pictured, left), NewsChannel 4 reported. O'Brien would not discuss any specific problems he had with the evidence in the case. He has asked police to do additional investigation.

"We have a burden of proof," O'Brien said. "We review cases, facts, files ... with that standard in mind. Based on what we did review, we requested some additional work be done. The police department is doing that."

Detectives said that Patterson, 20, started the April fire that killed three Ohio University and two Ohio State University students.

He was arrested Aug. 1 and was charged with murder and arson. O'Brien said last week that he had questions about the case after reviewing a videotaped police interview with Patterson and interviewing five witnesses.

State law says prosecutors have 10 days to indict a suspect who has been arrested on felony charges. Prosecutors spent the weekend reviewing all the evidence to determine whether they could get a grand jury indictment.

Now that charges have been dropped, investigators will continue to work on the case with hope of bringing charges against someone at a later time. Charges against Patterson can be refiled at any time.

"You only get one shot," O'Brien (pictured, left) said, referring to the double-jeopardy law, which prevents a person from being tried twice for the same crime.

The fire broke out about 4 a.m. on April 13, less than an hour after the end of the party for one of the victims, Alan Schlessman, of Perkins Township, Ohio. Twelve other people in the house either escaped or were rescued by firefighters.

He and Kyle Raulin, 20, of West Chester, lived in the house. Three visiting female students from Ohio University in Athens also died. Andrea K. Dennis, 20, of Madeira; Erin M. DeMarco, 19, of Canton; and Christine Wilson, 19, of Dublin, all died.

Ron Patterson, the father of the suspect, told NewsChannel 4 that his son admitted he was near the home at the time of the fire, however he said his son is innocent.

"The very words (Robert) told me kind of broke my heart," Ron Patterson said. "He said he was in jail and he was in jail for nothing. He did not do this. I know he didn't do this. He might have had his bad times with his stepmother. But he did not do this."

The FBI still is requesting a meeting with the U.S. Attorney's Office, which would have the power to pursue federal charges, NewsChannel 4 reported.

[bgsarah]

This is just so sad.

She is from my town.

[DeltAlum]

I worked ( 30 years ago in Columbus) with a man named Ron Patterson, the (ex) suspect's father's name.

Not an unusual name, but not as common as some.

I sure hope it's not the same man -- he was one of the best guys I've ever worked with.

[greeklawgirl]

At least some good is coming out of this tragedy:

Hundreds honor victim with 5K race

By Misty Alli

Media Credit: Elizabeth Nihiser
A group of runners cross the finish line in Saturday´s Christine Wilson Memorial 5K Run/Walk in Dublin.
The Christine Wilson Memorial 5K Run/Walk was held Saturday evening in Dublin to honor of one of the five students that perished in the April 13 fire near the Ohio State campus.

More than 800 runners and walkers physically participated in the event, while another 100 gave financial contributions.

The walk began at 7 p.m in front of Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar on Perimeter Drive in Dublin.

Wilson's father, Tim Wilson, established the run/walk in order to raise money that will help set up an annual scholarship fund in his daughter's name. The scholarship will be awarded to a student attending Bishop Watterson High School.

"Christine loved Bishop Watterson and thought it was the best school around," Wilson said.

His daughter once made the comment that no matter where she lived in the future, she would move back to Columbus so that her children would be able to attend Bishop Watterson.

Raising money was not the only purpose of the memorial run/walk.

Wilson said the event was the perfect way to celebrate his daughter's life, simply because it will forever keep her memory alive and it was connected to something she truly believed in.

"Christine loved track, so it seemed appropriate to use as a fundraiser for her scholarship," said Wilson.

The outcome of the event was not quite what Wilson expected.

"With an event like this, we expected to get roughly 250 to 300 participants," he said. "With that amount, we would have been satisfied."

Wilson said more participants signed up as the event drew nearer.

"By Thursday, we had close to 400 people who had already pre-registered. We were told that with an event like this to occur, we could expect roughly another 150 people to attend the day of the race," he said.

Try another 500 people.

"The outcome was phenomenal," he said. "We raised three times the amount of money we originally expected to raise."

Most of the attendees were students; however, a good number of participants were parents or adults.

"I'd say we had about two-thirds students and one-third adults." Wilson said. "We had people everywhere from OSU, Ohio University, St. Brendan's and Bishop Watterson."

Eugene Greenfield, a resident of Columbus, said he attended the memorial run/walk simply because he could relate to the pain of the victim's family.

"I had a relative who was killed in a fire a few years back. I didn't know any of the victims who died on April 13, but I can relate and so I thought it would be interesting to attend the event."

Greenfield said he was unable to contribute financially this time around, but hopes that he will be able to contribute next year.

Anthony Pagan, a senior in criminology, accompanied Greenfield to the event.

"It was really cool, because my parents came down for the weekend," he said. "I made them go to this event just because it hit so close to home for me. I didn't know any of the victims, but, I mean, two of them went to OSU. This has an impact on the whole campus."

Wilson said he plans for the memorial run/walk to fall on the second Saturday in May of 2004.

This date is very special for Wilson and his family because it would have been Christine's 21st birthday.

[DeltAlum]

As was said, at least one good thing to come out of the tragedy. Good to see that some O.U. students participated, although I would expect no less. I'll bet some of them were Alpha Gam sisters.