A third person has been charged in an arson case that is linked to the death of an Etna Green man.
Mark Edward Blankenship, 49, of 509 W. Elm St., Pierceton, was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 12:01 p.m. Wednesday for arson. His bond was set at $30,000 surety and $250 cash.
Court documents list the charges against Blankenship as aiding, inducing or causing arson, a level 4 felony, and obstruction of justice, a level 6 felony.
Previously arrested in the case were Blake D. Dull, 24, of 407 W. Elm St., Pierceton, and Hannah E. Shea, 28, of 1815 Hepler Drive, Warsaw. Dull faces charges of arson, a Level 4 felony; and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident causing death, a Level 5 felony. Shea is being charged with aiding, inducing or causing arson, a level 4 felony.
On April 7, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy Kyle Denton responded to a call in regard to a vehicle fire near CRs 600W and 1050N in Milford. When he arrived, the vehicle was engulfed in flames and was only identifiable as a Chevy by the hubcaps on the wheels.
Found near the burning vehicle was a service contract bearing the name of Dull and Regina C. Fry. The vehicle was identified as a 2012 Chevy Malibu 2LT.
Denton talked with Fry, who said she was the owner of the Chevy but it belonged to her son, Dull.
KCSO Sgt. Don McCune spoke with Dull, who admitted setting the vehicle on fire. He said he did it because he owes money on it and his mother couldn’t afford the payments because he was going to jail for a long time, according to court documents.
KCSO deputy Travis Marsh spoke with the office manager at CommunityWide Federal Credit Union. She said Fry took out a loan on Aug. 7, 2017, for $15,879 for the Chevy Malibu. The balance was $8,549.23.
WPD Det. Sgt. Ryan Coble received information that Blankenship had information about Dull being involved in a “leaving the scene causing death” and arson of the vehicle, court documents state.
On April 11, Warsaw Police Department requested assistance from the public to obtain information into the death of Matthew C. Hoshal, 27, of 222 E. High St., Etna Green.
Emergency personnel found Hoshal just off the southwest side of Lake Street. He was unconscious with labored breathing. Officers at the scene noted Hoshal had suffered bodily injury, according to an April 11 news release.
Hoshal was taken by Lutheran EMS to Fort Wayne Lutheran Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead by Lutheran Hospital medical staff.
Coble spoke with Blankenship who admitted that on April 7 he met with Dull and Shea. Dull said he hit a pedestrian – Hoshal – on Lake Street and thought he killed the pedestrian. Shea was with him when Dull hit Hoshal. Blankenship saw damage to the passenger side of the Chevy Malibu.
Dull told Blankenship he was going to burn the vehicle to cover up the damage caused by the accident. Blankenship followed Dull and Shea to the Milford area, where he parked his vehicle. Dull and Shea set the vehicle on fire and Blankenship saw flames coming from the Malibu.
Dull and Shea ran to Blankenship’s vehicle, and he took Shea and Dull back to Dull’s grandmother’s house in Pierceton.
WPD officer Paul Heaton spoke with Shea, who admitted she was with Dull when Dull hit Hoshal on Lake Street. They were both intoxicated. Dull contacted Blankenship and they agreed to meet at a body shop. Blankenship arrived and Dull told Blankenship that he hit Hoshal and they attempted to clean the vehicle and get the dent out. Dull and Blankenship decided to burn the vehicle to get rid of evidence.
Shea said Blankenship obtained diesel fuel from the body shop and they drove to the Milford area. Blankenship and Dull poured the diesel on the vehicle and set it on fire.
