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State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies, with the assistance of several law enforcement partners in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes, have arrested a Bayou Blue man for two hotel fires that occurred this month as they continue to investigate his possible involvement in several others.
Deshaun Montgomery, 31, was booked into the Terrebonne Parish Jail on Monday, November 27, on one count of Aggravated Arson as well as related and unrelated charges from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. A second warrant for an additional Aggravated Arson charge was obtained on Tuesday, November 28th.
The first arrest is associated with a fire reported around 5 p.m. on Monday, November 27 at a hotel located in the 800 block of North Canal Boulevard in Thibodaux. Firefighters found an extinguished flare in a hallway of the lobby area of the hotel which had an almost full guest registry at the time of the fire. No one was injured.
The second warrant is associated with a fire reported less than 24 hours before, around 9 p.m. on Sunday, November 26th at a hotel located in the 100 block of Linda Ann Avenue in Gray. In this case, firefighters arrived to find an extinguished flare in a stairwell. About a dozen people were in this hotel at the time of the fire. Again, no one was injured.
While SFM deputies were investigating the Gray case, the Thibodaux fire investigation request came in. Deputies then worked hand-in-hand with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office and Thibodaux Police to link the two cases and identify Montgomery as a suspect in both.
Later that evening, Terrebonne Sheriff’s deputies took Montgomery into custody on outstanding warrants during a traffic stop. He was later booked on the Thibodaux Aggravated Arson charge and additional crimes related to that fire. He is currently pending booking for the Gray case.
In collaboration with local law enforcement partners, SFM deputies continue to investigate at least two other known, similar hotel fires in Houma and Mathews. However, it is believed there may be additional similar cases that are unknown at this time.
The SFM would like to ask the public to share any information about any of these known or potentially unknown hotel fire cases by submitting tips to our Arson Hotline at 1-844-954-1221 or online at lasfm.org. All tips can be submitted anonymously.
The SFM would like to thank the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Thibodaux Police and Houma Police for their partnership with this evolving case.
