3 Lives Go Up In Flames...Why?

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3 Lives Go Up In Flames...Why?

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Last August 15th I woke about 5:00 AM and sipped coffee with my wife as she turned on the local morning news. They were reporting a fire... 2 people had died in the flaming house. Not a good start to anyones day. I watched the "live" reporter as she said the fire was at the corner of Stormy Drive and......

I noticed Jerry's house....I looked outside to find 4 news satellite trucks parked in my front yard. My wife and I hurried out the door and noticed the ambulance, 2 fire trucks, 4 or 5 police and sheriffs cruisers and concerned neighbors. The flames were mostly out now, the deputies were stringing the yellow crime scene banners around the house.

The talk was, 2 dead. That was all at this time.

Jerry Fredrichs was an odd neighbor, kind of a sad fellow. He lived with his 84 year old mother and his mentally challenged sister. His mother had broken her hip recently and would have been unable to get out of the bed to save herself. Jerry's sister needed daily care, not probable she could have made it out on her own. But what about Jerry?

Tight lipped autorities would release no names, no information at this time.

Noon. Local news reported that Jerry's mother and sister had indeed died in the the fire that morning....and Jerry Fredrichs was being held on 2 counts of murder!

Jerry was a quit man in his sixties, friendly, courteous, a good neighbor. But he was always rather odd. He would talk a blue streak if given a chance, not wanting to let go of the conversation. He would talk about anything, just to have someone to talk too. Some of the girls on our street were spooked by him, a couple of the younger mothers claimed he would watch through their windows. I always thought he was lonely.

According to the Sheriff's report, Jerry set the fire around 3:00 that morning. When they arrived Jerry was sitting on the front porch steps, the house fully engulfed a few short feet behind him. They tried to talk him off the porch but he wasn't having any of it. The raging fire eventually drove Jerry from his porch and to the waiting deputies. He was driven away while his house burnt behind them.

What could happen to drive anyone to this? I have no answers, doubt I ever will.

Godspeed to your mother and sister, Jerry. And I hope, as bizzare as it sounds, that some of your pain is gone too.