Shawn Gossett, Plant City, Florida man intentionally sets Hillsborough mobile home on fire, killing family of four and their 3 dogs. Suspect lived at the house. Claimed only wanting to scare the victims…
A 25-year-old Florida man has been accused of intentionally setting a mobile house on fire that killed a family of four and their three dogs in the early morning hours of Wednesday.
Shawn Gossett upon his arrest was charged with four counts of first degree murder, three counts of cruelty to animals, and a single county of arson, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office stated.
The call about the fire came in just after midnight. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue found four dead adults as they were working to extinguish the blaze.
Suspect admits never attempting to put out the fire or warn the unsuspecting victims
Gossett, who lived at the Plant City home, was arrested just hours later after admitting to ‘intentionally setting the home on fire.’
The suspect was found found near the mobile home after fire crews responded to the blaze, according to Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer.
Gossett initially told detectives that he was playing with a lighter when it became stuck. He said he got burned by the lighter and threw it on the ground ‘assuming the flame would go out,’ which caught his blanket on fire, arrest documents stated.
Gossett relented and later admitted starting the fire by igniting paper towels with a lighter near and placing it on a floor in a way to catch a box on fire and make the fire spread.
Deputies said Gossett never attempted to put the fire out, and that he waited for the fire to spread before he told any of the residents.
Suspect claimed only wanting to scare the victims
‘This is an utterly senseless and horrific crime where four innocent lives were tragically taken due to the evil actions of this man,’ said Sheriff Chad Chronister.
Gossett is believed to have been friends with the family who lived in the home, Maurer said. The names of the victims, who were all adults, have not yet been released pending family notification, he said.
Nevertheless loved ones according to WFLA, identified the victims as Chase Bowman, 30, his wife Jessica Bowman, 26, and her mother Judy Foster, 70. Jessica’s brother, Joseph Clites, 48, also lived at the address and is thought to have been the fourth victim.
Maurer said the victims were unable to get out of the home, but it is unclear why. The manner and cause of their death was pending an autopsy the official said.
Gossett during questioning admitted that he didn’t want to live at the home anymore and that Judy Foster was the payee for his disability checks, according to arrest documents.
Initial court appearance Thursday afternoon
He asked Judy Foster and Jessica Bowman multiple times if he could go back to his father’s house, and when they didn’t let him, deputies said he got the idea to set the house on fire.
Gossett told investigators that he didn’t intent to kill anyone, he just wanted to scare them.
‘He knew if the house was burnt down that he would get to go back to his father’s house,’ according to an affidavit.
During an initial court appearance, Thursday afternoon, Gossett was denied bond and remained held pending a detention hearing on August 13th.
