Alleged arsonist suspected of other fires

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a Little Caillou firefighter Monday morning after he allegedly intentionally set a fellow fireman’s home ablaze.

Jesse Patrick Marcel, 21, of 218 Douglas Dr., Houma, was arrested and charged with aggravated arson after an investigation yielded he allegedly set a home on fire at 5608 La. Highway 56 in Chauvin.

The sheriff’s office was called to the Chauvin location at 11:45 p.m. Sunday night. When they arrived on the scene, authorities learned that the home belonged to fireman Whyley Pellegrin, also with the Little Caillou Fire Department. Pellegrin and his wife were both able to escape the home without injury.

After fleeing the home, the Sheriff’s Office said Pellegrin contacted the Little Caillou Fire Department, which is next door to his residence, and two on-call firemen extinguished the fire.

After investigating the fire, authorities say they identified Marcel as a suspect. Marcel was one of the on-call firemen at the time of the blaze.

After being questioned, Marcel allegedly admitted to setting Pellegrin’s shed on fire before returning to the fire station and going to bed. Marcel allegedly said he did not tell Pellegrin of the fire, but did not intend for the fire to get out of control and spread to Pellegrin’s home.

Further investigations led police to also charge Marcel with two counts of aggravated arson and one count of simple arson in reference to three separate fires in 2009 in Terrebonne Parish.

On Aug. 4, 2009, a picnic table was set on fire beneath a patio at a home at the 100 block of Mall Circle in Houma. The residents of the home were allegedly sleeping at the time of the fire, but no one was reportedly injured and there was no damage to the residence.

A day later, authorities were called to the 200 block of Douglas Dr. On the scene, the police reported a wicker table and chairs were set on fire under a carport of the home. A 14-year-old saw the fire and allegedly used a water hose to extinguish the fire. The teenager suffered a burn putting out the fire, but did not require medical attention.

On Aug. 9, 2009, authorities reported again to the 200 block of Douglas Dr., where the home under construction was set on fire. A flatbed trailer containing materials and trash from the remodeling was beside the home and it was also damaged in the blaze.

The sheriff’s office also charged Marcel in connection with all the August fires.

He allegedly confessed to the Aug. 4 and Aug. 9, but he denies being involved in the Aug. 5 blaze.

Police say Marcel’s motive for the fires was a combination of wanting to set a fire and extinguishing it.

He is currently being held in the Terrebonne Parish Jail on a $1.1 million bond. If convicted, Marcel could serve up to 20 years in prison.

JESSE MARCEL – Allegedly set fire at fellow fireman’s home