Собака пожарных помогла осудить поджигателя дома в Эвансвилле

Landmark Evansville arson case marks first major win for new EFD K-9 EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - An Evansville man is expected to spend the next few years of his life in prison thanks to a new Evansville Fire K-9. You may remember earlier this year, Joshua Vailes was arrested and charged in connection to a December 2025 house fire on N. Evans Avenue. Officers say Vailes tried to burn the house down during an eviction notice. Investigators say after the fire, K9 Indie detected the presence of ignitable liquids inside the home. On Tuesday, EFD officials confirmed Vailes took a deal and pled guilty to Level 4 Felony Arson and Level 4 Felony Attempted Arson. He was subsequently sentenced to six years in prison. The Evansville Fire Department says this marks a major milestone for the agency. “The case also holds special significance as one of the first worked by K-9 Indie following the launch of EFD’s Ignitable Liquid Detection K-9 program,” they say. “Indie provides our investigators with another highly specialized tool to identify potential evidence at fire scenes and help hold those responsible for intentionally set fires accountable.” This was also the first case led by EFD investigators from the initial dispatch through the criminal investigation and ultimately to working with prosecutors toward a plea agreement. Copyright 2026 WFIE. All rights reserved.