Two face felony arson charges in local apartment fire
Two residents of a Great Falls apartment complex are scheduled to make an initial appearance Friday on a charge of arson for allegedly setting fire to their apartment earlier this month to collect insurance money.
Brandon Fondren and Adrianne Davenport are charged with felony arson, felony criminal endangerment and felony theft.
Great Falls Fire/Rescue responded at about 11 p.m. May 11 to a fire at Fondren and Davenport's residence, 1320 9th St. S., apartment No. 40, according to court records. Eyewitnesses indicate the two left together prior to the call.
Firefighters put the fire out, and residents were allowed back into the 24-unit building fairly quickly.
Fondren took out a renters' insurance policy just 10 days before the fire, according to court records, which also indicate Davenport was a suspect in a fire at the Imperial Inn in Great Falls in April 2013 and in several other arson investigations in Oklahoma and Great Falls.
A neighbor told Great Falls police that Fondren and Davenport moved many of their personal belongings into a storage shed south of the apartment building and into their van, according to court records.
A review of jailhouse phone calls indicated that Fondren and Davenport made plans to take the insurance money and move to Oklahoma while urging each other to "stick to the plan."
In the storage unit, detectives found a fuel container that appeared to contain gasoline with gauze material sticking out of its spout and a fire investigation manual titled "Introduction to Fire Origin and Causes."
On Thursday, Fondren did not show up for a scheduled interview with detectives, who drove to the apartment complex and found the two retrieving items from their storage shed.
They were taken into custody, and Fondren told detectives that Davenport intentionally set the fire, according to court records.
He also told detectives he was aware a woman and her two small children lived directly above their apartment.
The state considers them a flight risk with pending charges in Alabama for felony theft and other charges, so it is requesting bond in the amount of $75,000.