Norwich police make fifth arrest in Capehart mill arson case

Norwich – City police have made a fifth arrest in the Capehart mill arson case.

Ramon Ortiz, 22, whose last known address was 25 Broadway, was charged today with first-degree arson, third-degree burglary, first-degree criminal mischief and tampering with evidence. Ortiz, who is currently incarcerated on an unrelated robbery charge, was served with an arrest warrant when he appeared in Superior Court for the other case.  A judge set his bond in the arson case at $500,000.

The only remaining suspect to be charged is Kevin Walker, a self-proclaimed serial arsonist who allegedly enlisted the other five to join him in torching the unoccupied mill in the Greeneville section of the city on April 27. Police Sgt. Peter Camp said Walker, who is already imprisoned on multiple charges, will likely be charged in the Capehart case at his next court appearance. Walker is scheduled to return to court on October 5.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit in the Capehart case, Ortiz, Walker and Laura J. McDonald climbed over a chain link fence topped with barbed wire to gain entry to the mill, then used gasoline to start fires at three points of origin. Three others, Michael L. Baker, Victoria Ercoli and James Vanech, stood lookout or watched.

The fire took three days and seven million gallons of water to extinguish. Police said the blaze exposed firefighters and neighboring residents to asbestos. A city firefighter was treated for a non-life-threatening injury.