MUSKEGON Heights, Mich.– A group of Muskegon area fire officials are recognized for solving a string of arson that went on for 20 years. The fires were all committed by the same man.
The group, which included Muskegon Heights Fire Chief Chris Dean, Farm Bureau SIU Special Investigator Brad Johnson, ATF Special Agent James Walsh, Willison Hellman OC Attorney Steve Wilson, IRS Special Agents Adam Billmeier and Darline Goeman, were awarded the 2013 Michigan Arson Prevention Committee Investigators of the Year Award.
In March, 73 year-old Gerald Singer was convicted of setting fire to several of his properties in a scam to get insurance money. Investigators spent hours working the case.
“It’s kind of the icing on the cake,” said Chief Dean. “Muskegon County has top-notch investigators, working together as a team to fight the crime of arson, which is incredibly difficult to solve.”
Today’s ceremony kicked off Michigan Arson Awareness week.
Singer is expected to be sentenced August 21.
