Rita Odafe
Dustin Fields, a 43-year-old man, has been accused of deliberately setting fire to his home, which led to the tragic discovery of his two sons’ bodies inside.
Authorities report that Fields used accelerants to ignite the fire, fully aware that his sons were present in the house.
Following the incident on April 30, he was arrested and charged with first-degree arson.
Emergency responders found the deceased bodies of 13-year-old Bently Fields and 15-year-old Rylan Fields, as well as their family dog, when they arrived.
During a court hearing on May 5, Fields pleaded not guilty and requested temporary release to attend his sons’ funeral. However, the judge maintained his bond at $2 million.
“I miss my boys,” he reportedly stated in court.
When questioned about his property, he commented, “I do but it just recently went up in a ball of flames, so there’s nothing but grass and a garage at the moment.”
The arrest report indicates that investigators, aided by a K-9 unit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, detected accelerants on Fields’ shoes and around the home, including the area where the bodies were found.
Fields is accused of knowing the house was occupied by his sons while setting it ablaze.
Chief Dwayne Depp from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office stated that Fields was not at the location when first responders arrived but appeared shortly after, providing conflicting statements to investigators. He noted that further charges may arise as the investigation continues.
A GoFundMe campaign created by a friend of Fields’ wife, who is not the mother of the victims, revealed that she had recently sought an emergency protective order against him for her and her children.
Additionally, a GoFundMe organized by the boys’ sister shared insights about them:
“Bently was just 13 and was about to graduate middle school. He loved fishing and even produced YouTube videos about it,” she wrote.
“Rylan, who was 15, was quite tech-savvy, owning stocks and repairing phones and computers.”
She concluded by mentioning that a viewing and funeral for the boys will be held on May 9.
