They caught him red-faced and red-handed, authorities said.
A Wisconsin arson suspect was busted with painful burns covering his face after allegedly torching a sex offender’s future home Sunday.
Russell Speigle, 50, who lives near the Madison-area home that was suspiciously ignited not once but twice in less than three months, was arrested Monday for the latest blaze.
Authorities in Dane County say Speigle was caught red-handed on surveillance video carrying one of two five-gallon gas cans used in the Feb. 22 fire.
The Cottage Grove home had just finished repairs from a Dec. 8 fire, also ruled arson, when authorities say it was once again set ablaze.
Harold Nyberg, 40, who was convicted in 1994 of sexually assaulting a child, was due to move into the property as part of the state’s supervised sex offender release program.
Speigle was one of several neighborhood residents who publicly expressed outrage and concern about his arrival.
“I understand that people don’t want someone to move in with that background, but vigilantism isn’t good either,” Cottage Grove resident Jeff Utter told NBC15.
Speigle fled town shortly after speaking with detectives about the latest fire, authorities said.
When he was tracked down by detectives he was then transported to a Madison hospital’s burn unit for the horrific injuries found covering his face.
After his release he was booked into the Dane County Jail on charges of arson.
A reward up to $5,000 is being offered by the sheriff’s department for the two gas canisters’ recovery.
