Nappanee Couple Arrested For Barn Fires
December 2, 2021 at 12:38 a.m.
Nappanee Couple Arrested For Barn Fires
By David [email protected]
According to two separate news releases from the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO), after a lengthy and detailed investigation by investigators, Joseph D. Hershberger, 41, and Sherry L. Thomas, 32, both of Nappanee, were each taken into custody on preliminary charges of arson, Level 4 felonies, and attempted contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Level 3 felonies.
A request for formal charges has been submitted.
No further information was provided in the news release, but an Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson said formal charges will be filed later this week in Elkhart Superior Court II.
Court documents filed Wednesday, provided by the Elkhart County Clerk’s Office on Wednesday, list the pending charges against Hershberger as eight counts of arson, Level 4 felonies, and a Level 3 felony of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The probable cause affidavit states that barn fires were reported on April 13 and 27 and May 3, 2021, in Elkhart County. Detectives at the ECSO were assigned to investigate the incidents. A search warrant for a Geo fence was obtained, the results of which revealed one phone was in the area of the fires just prior to the fires. Subscriber information was obtained for that phone and revealed to belong to Thomas.
Additional barn fires occurred in Elkhart County on July 28, Sept. 18, 19 and two on Oct. 1, 2021. The location data from Thomas’ phone put her phone at all of the fires just before the time of the fires, with the exception of July 28, the court documents state.
Security video was obtained from local gas stations in relation to the Oct. 1 fires. Hershberger, Thomas’ significant other, was observed purchasing a little over half a gallon of gasoline. Thomas’ cell phone location data also puts her a that gas station at the same time as Hershberger, the probable cause affidavit states. Later in the evening, at a different gas station, Thomas was seen at a different gas station with Hershberger and an 11-year-old child.
Thomas was interviewed after being advised of her rights and waiving them. She admitted that she was present with Hershberger when he started the barn fires on April 13, July 28 and both Oct. 1 fires in Elkhart County. She also advised that on Oct. 1, Hershberger attempted to convince the 11-year-old child to start one of the fires, the court documents state.
Hershberger was interviewed after being advised of his rights and waiving them. He made a statement and advised that he did start multiple barn fires in Elkhart County. He said he and Thomas would take turns pouring gasoline and lighting the barns ablaze, the court documents state.
“That, in addition to Joseph Hershberger’s admission to starting the fires or being with Sherry Thomas, whom he advised started the fire, cell phone location data of Joseph Hershberger and Sherry Thomas place them in the location of the fire shortly before a fire was reported,” the court documents state.
A handwritten note on the court document states that Hershberger was on probation at the time of the offense. His history includes resisting arrest, fraud, forgery and neglect, and he was charged with arson in 2006. The note also states, “Danger to community!”
No motive for the barn fires was stated in the court documents.
Hershberger’s bond was set at $500,000. He has an initial hearing in Elkhart County at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 10. Thomas’ paperwork, including bond, was still being processed as of Wednesday afternoon.
In an Oct. 4 news release from the ECSO requesting the public’s assistance for any information on the barn fires, the addresses and dates of the fires were listed as:
• 13394 CR 48, Syracuse, Oct. 1
• 23350 CR 38, Goshen, April 13
• 25445 CR 38, Goshen, Sept. 18
• 61524 CR 1, Elkhart, May 3
• 69576 CR 13, New Paris, April 13
• 62045 CR 9, Goshen, Sept. 19
• 70383 CR 29, Syracuse, April 27
• 72648 CR 43, Syracuse, Oct. 1.
According to two separate news releases from the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO), after a lengthy and detailed investigation by investigators, Joseph D. Hershberger, 41, and Sherry L. Thomas, 32, both of Nappanee, were each taken into custody on preliminary charges of arson, Level 4 felonies, and attempted contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Level 3 felonies.
A request for formal charges has been submitted.
No further information was provided in the news release, but an Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson said formal charges will be filed later this week in Elkhart Superior Court II.
Court documents filed Wednesday, provided by the Elkhart County Clerk’s Office on Wednesday, list the pending charges against Hershberger as eight counts of arson, Level 4 felonies, and a Level 3 felony of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The probable cause affidavit states that barn fires were reported on April 13 and 27 and May 3, 2021, in Elkhart County. Detectives at the ECSO were assigned to investigate the incidents. A search warrant for a Geo fence was obtained, the results of which revealed one phone was in the area of the fires just prior to the fires. Subscriber information was obtained for that phone and revealed to belong to Thomas.
Additional barn fires occurred in Elkhart County on July 28, Sept. 18, 19 and two on Oct. 1, 2021. The location data from Thomas’ phone put her phone at all of the fires just before the time of the fires, with the exception of July 28, the court documents state.
Security video was obtained from local gas stations in relation to the Oct. 1 fires. Hershberger, Thomas’ significant other, was observed purchasing a little over half a gallon of gasoline. Thomas’ cell phone location data also puts her a that gas station at the same time as Hershberger, the probable cause affidavit states. Later in the evening, at a different gas station, Thomas was seen at a different gas station with Hershberger and an 11-year-old child.
Thomas was interviewed after being advised of her rights and waiving them. She admitted that she was present with Hershberger when he started the barn fires on April 13, July 28 and both Oct. 1 fires in Elkhart County. She also advised that on Oct. 1, Hershberger attempted to convince the 11-year-old child to start one of the fires, the court documents state.
Hershberger was interviewed after being advised of his rights and waiving them. He made a statement and advised that he did start multiple barn fires in Elkhart County. He said he and Thomas would take turns pouring gasoline and lighting the barns ablaze, the court documents state.
“That, in addition to Joseph Hershberger’s admission to starting the fires or being with Sherry Thomas, whom he advised started the fire, cell phone location data of Joseph Hershberger and Sherry Thomas place them in the location of the fire shortly before a fire was reported,” the court documents state.
A handwritten note on the court document states that Hershberger was on probation at the time of the offense. His history includes resisting arrest, fraud, forgery and neglect, and he was charged with arson in 2006. The note also states, “Danger to community!”
No motive for the barn fires was stated in the court documents.
Hershberger’s bond was set at $500,000. He has an initial hearing in Elkhart County at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 10. Thomas’ paperwork, including bond, was still being processed as of Wednesday afternoon.
In an Oct. 4 news release from the ECSO requesting the public’s assistance for any information on the barn fires, the addresses and dates of the fires were listed as:
• 13394 CR 48, Syracuse, Oct. 1
• 23350 CR 38, Goshen, April 13
• 25445 CR 38, Goshen, Sept. 18
• 61524 CR 1, Elkhart, May 3
• 69576 CR 13, New Paris, April 13
• 62045 CR 9, Goshen, Sept. 19
• 70383 CR 29, Syracuse, April 27
• 72648 CR 43, Syracuse, Oct. 1.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092