Man who allegedly left scene of deadly fire in Preble Co. taken into custody

NEW PARIS — UPDATE (9/8 @ 9:22 p.m.):

The man who allegedly left the scene of a deadly fire in Preble County Thursday night has been taken into custody.

Anthony Luker, Jr., 23, of Richmond, Indiana was taken into custody Friday night in Richmond, according to the Preble County Sheriff’s Office.

A warrant was issued for Luker’s arrest after deputies said he was at the mobile home at the time of a deadly fire and left with a vehicle that did not belong to him. The vehicle was recovered in Connersville, Indiana.

We will continue following this story and update as new information is available.

>> PHOTOS: Several firefighters on scene of trailer fire in Preble County

INITIAL REPORT:

A man is dead after a fire broke out at a mobile home in Preble County Thursday night.

Kenneth Doolin, 57, of New Paris, was identified by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office as the individual killed in the fire, Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson confirmed Friday afternoon.

Simpson said Doolin lived in the mobile home on State Route 121 where the fire happened.

The fire was reported around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday. Nearly half a dozen departments worked to put the flames out.

While they worked to put out the fire, they found Doolin dead inside.

Simpson spoke to News Center 7′s Mike Campbell on Friday. He said deputies had been called out to the mobile home in the past but did not specify what the calls involved. He also said they spoke to the woman who called 911 and reported the fire.

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“We talked to her and we are pretty confident we know what was going on at the time when the fire started, but there were several things we needed to do overnight and that we’re doing today,” Simpson said.

Friday afternoon, the sheriff’s office revealed new details saying that another man was at the mobile home at the time of the fire and left with a vehicle that did not belong to him. The vehicle was recovered in Connersville, Indiana. Deputies have issued a warrant for that man, identified as Anthony Luker, Jr., 23, of Richmond, Indiana.

Luker has been charged with receiving stolen property.

Anthony Wayne Luker, Jr (Preble County Sheriff's Office)

>> PHOTOS: Sky 7 drone footage shows aftermath of Preble County mobile home fire

On top of investigators in Preble County wanting to speak with him, Connersville police are also looking for him in regard to an attempted stolen vehicle investigation that happened overnight. Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact their local law enforcement agency.

The fire remains under investigation by the Preble County Sheriff’s Office, the Preble County Coroner’s Office, and the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office.

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