Oelwein Arson Arrest

At approximately 2:04 a.m. on June 3, 2025, Oelwein Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to a report of a house fire in the 300 blk 1st Ave NE. The caller reported the house was fully engulfed in flames at that time. Officers arrived and immediately began notifying neighboring residents to evacuate as the fire was spreading to nearby homes. The Oelwein Fire Department arrived on scene at 2:16 a.m. to observe one house almost completely destroyed by fire. Additionally, a house to the south was engulfed in flames and a house to the west was also engulfed in flames.                                                  Fire crews were on scene for nearly five hours and throughout the day. The fire was determined to be suspicious in nature. Officers continued the investigation throughout the day and an arrest has been made in connection to the fires. The following person has been arrested and charged:

            1) Jeannie Marie Murphy, 50 of Oelwein

                                Arson 1st Degree - Class B Felony

The subject was taken into custody and transported to the Fayette County Jail pending an initial appearance. Additional charges are pending, and this case is still under investigation.

                "We are extremely grateful and proud of the collaborative efforts of all of the volunteer members of each fire department involved to protect the lives and property of those in our community and the efficient investigative work of our officers," stated Public Safety Chief Jeremy Logan. "People that volunteer for a fire department are special people that are the heartbeat of those communities and we are fortunate to have them and the dedicated officers that serve us."

                The Oelwein Police and Fire Departments were assisted by the fire departments from Hazleton, Maynard, and Fairbank, as well as the Fayette County Sheriff's Office, Fayette County Emergency Management, Oelwein MercyOne Ambulance, and the American Red Cross.