Police: Fatal Attica fire deliberately set

ATTICA, Ind. (WLFI) - Two men face murder charges after authorities said they deliberately set a fire, knowing a man was inside.

Investigators said the break in the case happened when one of the suspects admitted to another inmate he set the fatal fire.

In the early morning hours of May 8, flames lit up the night on the 600 block of Perry Street in Attica.  Inside, 65-year-old Ronnie Shoaf died.  Investigators said at the time, because of the extent of the damage from the fire, the cause could not be determined.

On June 1, 42-year-old David Purcell and his cousin, 20-year-old Raymond Brown, were charged with setting three arsons at other locations in Warren County.

In a press conference Friday, various area agencies announced the two men had been charged with killing Shoaf.

"We want to express our condolences and sympathy to the family of the deceased who lost his life in this fire," Attica Police Chief Bobby Bass said.

The charred remains are still evident on Perry Street.

One block away on Brady Street, there is another building destroyed by fire.  Officers said Brown initially admitted to setting fire to the vacant home in March.  

Then, he later admitted to setting the one on Perry.    

According to deputies, Brown said he and Purcell got the arson equipment from Purcell's home in Independence.  Brown said Purcell then drove the few miles to Attica, Brown quietly opened up Shoaf's door and saw him cooking on a grill. 

Brown said he poured the accelerant in the foyer and up the stairs, blocking Shoaf's only exit and then lit the fire while Purcell acted as look-out in his truck.
    
Investigators said the pair are connected to five fires in Warren and Fountain Counties and are looking to see if there's more.

"It's an ongoing investigation and to put a quantitative number on it would be inappropriate at this time," Sheriff Hart said.
 
NewsChannel 18 has learned that a relative of Shoaf married a relative of Purcell.  Investigators refused to comment on any connections the suspects and the victim had.

In court documents from the initial arrest, Raymond Brown said Purcell set fires at property of people who Purcell didn't like, and on another occasion because Purcell believed the man owed him money.

Purcell is in the Montgomery County Jail.  Brown is in the Warren County Jail.  Both face the following charges:  two counts of Murder, Arson Resulting in Bodily Injury, Burglary Resulting in Bodily Injury.

Both suspects are being held with no bond.