Waynesville Man arrested for 2nd Degree Arson, 2nd Degree Burglary, 1st Degree Property Damage, and Felony Animal Abuse in Maries County

(Vienna)–The Maries County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday announced that 45-year-old Jeff Ewart of Waynesville has been charged with 2nd Degree Arson, 2nd Degree Burglary, 1st Degree Property Damage, and Felony Animal Abuse after an investigation conducted by the Maries County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, the investigation began after a house fire on Maries County Road 635. There was evidence recovered at the scene that led investigators to believe the fire was intentionally set. The suspect was an ex-boyfriend of a Maries County woman, and it is suspected he purposely entered the residence and used accelerants to start the fire. One of the woman’s dogs remained inside the residence and died after the home was suspected to have been deliberately set on fire.
Ewart remains in the Maries County Jail in Vienna on a no bond warrant as ordered by Judge Kerry Rowden.