Man formally charged in connection to deadly Preble Co. fire

PREBLE COUNTY — A man has been formally charged in connection to a deadly fire in Preble County last month.

Anthony Luker Jr., 23, was indicted on charges of reckless homicide, having weapons under disability, receiving stolen property, and grand theft when the property is a firearm or dangerous ordinance, according to court documents.

News Center 7 previously reported on Sept. 7, firefighters were dispatched at 10:46 p.m. to the 6500 block of State Route 121 near New Paris on initial reports of a trailer fire and someone trapped inside.

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Kenneth Doolin, 57, of New Paris, was identified by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office as the person killed in the fire.

A man, later identified as Luker, was allegedly seen leaving the scene in a Buick Century that belonged to Doolin.

He is also accused of taking a rifle from Doolin.

He was later taken into custody in Richmond, Indiana and extradited back to Preble County.

He is due in Preble County Common Pleas court for his first hearing on Oct. 6.

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