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Police: Suspect Arrested In Las Cruces Arson Case

A man suspected of lighting the fire that eventually destroyed a Las Cruces mobile home this week is in custody.

Las Cruces police say 43-year-old Anthony Garret Madison was arrested Wednesday and was being held on $15,000 bond on suspicion of negligent arson.

City firefighters were dispatched shortly after 1 a.m. Monday. They say the doublewide mobile home was already fully engulfed in flames when the first crew arrived on the scene.

Las Cruces fire and police investigators believe an accelerant was used to set fire to books that were found partially burned inside the home's fireplace.

Madison told investigators that he stacked the books as logs in the fireplace and set them aflame before falling asleep on a couch.

It was unclear Thursday if Madison has a lawyer yet.

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