3 charged with arson in Kosciusko County

February 23, 2012

Jon Rightsell.jpg [1]

Jon Rightsell, 23, of Mentone, had an outstanding arrest warrant from Marshall County before being arrested Wednesday in Kosciusko County and charged with arson, along with two juveniles.

BURKET — Two 17-year-olds and Jon Rightsell, 23, of Mentone, were arrested Wednesday night and charged with arson after a fire broke out at Burket Alternative School in Burket. Burket fire personnel quickly extinguished the fire and called the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department to investigate what appeared to be suspicious individuals near the scene.
Officer John Hart and other deputies viewed outside surveillance cameras and identified one of the individuals as a Tippecanoe Valley High School student living in Mentone. Officers transported the 17-year-old male and a second suspect, Rightsell, to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department. Rightsell had an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Marshall County.
Rightsell was later interviewed and implicated another 17-year-old male in the fire. The third suspect was also brought to the sheriff's department and all three were charged with felony arson.
The juveniles were transported to Pierceton Woods Life Line Juvenile Center and Rightsell is being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on a $5,000 bond.