By Jim Kalvelage
The Ruidoso News
RUIDOSO, N.M. — Two days after the start of the April 3, 2011, White Fire, one of the two juveniles charged with negligent arson admitted his involvement, according to an investigative report regarding the case. State charges were leveled last week against
Brantan Shaw, 16, of Ruidoso and Konor R. Manita, 13, who now resides in Milledgeville, Ga.
The U.S.D.A. Forest Service investigative report acquired by the Ruidoso News indicated a special agent with the agency had interviewed the two boys on April 5, 2011.
With names blotted out or redacted, the report stated, “both (redacted) and (redacted) initially denied involvement into the start of the fire. (Redacted) later stated he and (redacted) had possessed a firework which (redacted) ignited in the forest behind (redacted) grandfather’s house, (redacted) residence. (Redacted) stated that the firework landed on the forest floor and quickly became a forest fire.”
In separate interviews, both of the boys said they had ridden bikes to the area of 400 Gavilan Canyon Road and saw smoke behind a home. A closer view, according to the interviews, showed flames starting to climb a hill. One of the boys called his father who instructed him to call 911. Both said they tried to put out the fire with buckets of water.
Interviews later in the day, each with a parent present, resulted in one of the suspects admitting involvement.
“Over the course of this interview, (redacted) stated that (redacted) had possessed a firework and book of matches while they were at his grandfather’s property on Sunday, April 3, 2011,” U.S.D.A. Forest Service Special Agent Lucas Woolf wrote. “
(Redacted) described the firework as being green in color, large, cylindrical shaped with a ‘pointy’ top. He also described the book of matches as being paper and having a white cover. (Redacted) said that he and (redacted) used a ‘rod’ and duct tape from his grandfather’s shop to attach the before mentioned rod to the firework. After the rod was attached, (redacted) stated that (redacted) went up the hill, stuck the firework into the ground, lit a match from the matchbook, and then ignited the firework. (Redacted) stated that the firework then made a whistling sound, flew in the air, and then landed on the forest floor just a short distance away. (Redacted) stated that the fire started when the firework had landed and not from where (redacted) had ignited it. It was at this time that he had attempted to extinguish the fire, was unsuccessful in that attempt, and then called his dad and 911. (Redacted) also stated that (redacted) had asked him not to tell anybody about their involvement into the start of the fire and that if he did he would not be his friend anymore. (Redacted) also recalled (redacted) finding the firework underneath (redacted)'s bed on Saturday, April 2, 2011.
The other youth repeatedly denied any involvement into the cause of the White Fire. The report stated that the youth indicated neither of the boys had any fireworks or matches. A third interview the next day brought another denial of involvement.
On May 2, 2011, Woolf executed search warrants resulting in the collection of fingerprints and DNA samples of the two suspects.
A laboratory report from the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Forensic Laboratory stated that there was a reasonable degree of scientific certainty that DNA from one of the boys was identified on the bottle rocket and duct tape. DNA also was found on the matchbook.
The investigation into the White Fire started on April 4, 2011, and initially involved two Forest Service law enforcement officers, Cathy Van Camp and Patrick Blue, Lincoln County Fire Marshall Travis Atwell, and Chief Carl Bartley, the chief of the Bonito Volunteer Fire Department. A matchbook containing burnt matches and a part of a green colored TNT Texas Cyclone Rocket firework were found in the area of the fire’s origin. The next day Woolf was brought in and interviewed the then 15- and 12-year-old boys.
In filing the case in New Mexico District Court, District Attorney Diana Martwick also has asked that the parents of the two boys be included as parties to the crime.
The White Fire burned more than 10,000 acres of mainly federal forestlands. But part of the blaze entered private properties, destroying five homes, a business and several buildings.
In August 2011 the Ruidoso News reported the suppression cost for the White Fire was $2.8 million. Rehabilitation and hillside stabilization expenses totaled almost $2 million.
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