By Denise Blaz
The Abilene Reporter-News
ABILENE, Texas — At a bond reduction hearing Thursday for a former Hamby Volunteer Fire Department firefighter accused of arson, it was revealed Taylor Dupree Partain is being investigated for allegedly setting a house on fire.
Last month, Partain, 24, was taken into custody in connection with setting the Hamby United Methodist Church on fire, causing $25,000 in damage. Partain was later charged with a second arson charge after allegedly setting a wildfire in Abilene in May on CR 313 in Jones County.
He has not been charged in the house fire. Testifying against Partain on Thursday, Taylor County Sheriff’s deputy Ricky Bishop said the ex-firefighter showed up in full gear to battle the church blaze.
Deputies, Bishop said, later were able to get a full confession out of Partain at the law enforcement center.
“We talked to him on the scene and he said he had talked to people who he hadn’t,” said Bishop, who added the department is currently investigating a residential fire in Hamby alleged to have been sparked by Partain.
The Texas Forest Service last month said they, too, are investigating other fires believed to have been set by Partain.
The bond reduction was denied by 104th District Court Judge Lee Hamilton at Thursday’s hearing.
Abilene defense attorney Trey Keith asked Hamilton to consider reducing Partain’s $100,000 bond to $10,000.
Partain is being held at the Taylor County Jail.
Partain, already accused in church blaze and wildfire, is being investigated in house fire.
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