TULSA, Okla. — Three men face multiple charges after authorities say they conspired to burn down a home in west Tulsa.
According to court documents, 73-year-old Donald Webb, 32-year-old Stevan Bartley, and 29-year-old Wilverse Rissler each face charges of second-degree arson and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Tulsa Fire Department (TFD) says this all started last August when they responded to a structure fire near South 49th West Avenue and Charles Page Boulevard. The same structure had burned that June.
“Tulsa Fire investigators have responded to a home near 49th West Avenue and Charles page Boulevard multiple times for fires. They did determine that both of those fires the cause was incendiary, meaning there was a fire that occurred that should not have occurred at that place. Ultimately, we determined it was arson,” TFD Public Information Officer Andy Little said.
Through search warrants with the assistance of Google and phone carriers, TFD placed Stevan Bartley at the location of the fire. Evidence obtained revealed Bartley called Rissler and was staying in the same hotel as Donald Webb.
“One of those gentlemen that was charged with arson was also staying at the hotel. Mr. Webb approached them, offered them money to burn the structure and they did so,” Little said.
In February, TFD investigators interviewed Bartley at his job. Bartley told investigators that Webb approached him and Rissler and paid them $500 to burn his house. Bartley said he and Rissler broke a window and poured gasoline in the home, setting it ablaze before running.
When there’s evidence of arson, Little said he’s glad that they can find and charge the people for it.
“We can’t have people in the community willfully and maliciously setting structures on fire. Not only can it injure a person in that structure, but it could also injure a firefighter,” he said.