Ex-Owner of the Burned Dude Ranch Lied!!
Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 10:39 am
Police: Ranch's ex-owner lied
Warrant says she was seen removing items before Texas Lil's arson
By KEVIN KRAUSE / The Dallas Morning News
JUSTIN, Texas - The former owner of Texas Lil's Dude Ranch lied to police about losing memorabilia in an arson fire that destroyed three buildings at the Denton County tourist attraction, according to her arrest warrant.
Lynda Arnold, 66, was seen carrying boxes out of the ranch's office less than three hours before it burned to the ground, according to documents made public Wednesday.
Ms. Arnold, who operated the dude ranch for 27 years before losing it in foreclosure, could not be reached for comment.
She told Northlake police the morning after the Nov. 4 fire that her magazine articles, awards, trophies, pictures and other items were destroyed by the office blaze, the arrest affidavit said.
But arson investigators didn't find any remnants of the items. Later that day, Northlake police found the items while searching her storage trailer across from her son's house, the arrest warrant stated.
Ms. Arnold told police she had given the trailer's keys to a ranch employee less than two hours before the fires so he could store his girlfriend's belongings. The employee, Billy Gene Howard, was arrested that night on three counts of arson.
Police arrested Ms. Arnold on Tuesday on a felony charge of evidence tampering.
When an officer told her that she had lied, Ms. Arnold replied, "So what? It's my property," according to the arrest report.
Trace Arnold said his mother is innocent. He said she removed only his grandmother's antiques and other items four weeks before the fires so the bankruptcy court could not sell them.
"Everything was in her office when she left at 5 p.m. that day [of the fire]," he said. "If you saw the heat of that fire, nothing could have made it."
Police on Nov. 5 also found a loaded 12-gauge shotgun belonging to Mr. Howard on the roof of Ms. Arnold's home at the ranch. Documents said Mr. Howard may have had the shotgun on the night of the fire.
Ms. Arnold said she didn't know how it got there but then later told officers that Mr. Howard had put it there, the report said.
When an officer asked why she didn't report the shotgun, Ms. Arnold "did not answer me and only looked at the floor," according to the report.
When the officer told her she had tampered with evidence, she replied, "You can't prove anything," the report said.
Ms. Arnold is out of jail on a $100,000 bond and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Mr. Howard, 48, is being held on $150,000 bail. Northlake police found him at the scene while the fires were burning. His clothes were covered with diesel fuel, which arson investigators said was used as an accelerant. He told police he used the fuel to try to extinguish the fire, according to police records.
Northlake police are continuing to investigate.
Mr. Arnold, 38, was a partner in Texas Lil's Family Limited Partnership, which owned the ranch. He said his mother was working out a deal with the new owners to continue on at the ranch.
"It wasn't over for her," he said.
She lost the ranch to foreclosure in early October after a yearlong court battle that included a bankruptcy filing to save it. Lone Star Bank, which loaned her $2 million in 1997, sold the ranch to a real estate venture after she defaulted on the loan.
Five witnesses, including a ranch manager and office receptionist, told investigators they saw Ms. Arnold cleaning out her "normally messy" office and leaving with boxes in the days before the fires, the arrest report said.
One witness who worked for Ms. Arnold told police he and others removed her "furniture, stuffed wild game head mounts, a piano and other expensive items" from the ranch's dance hall "a short time before the fire," the affidavit said.
A different witness said Ms. Arnold told him she had lost all her personal items from the dance hall in the fire.
Another witness said he asked Ms. Arnold whether she was moving out after seeing her leave the office with boxes the day before the fires. Ms. Arnold replied that she was cleaning out her office, the affidavit said.
Gail Reynolds, who owns a flower shop down the road, said she doesn't think Ms. Arnold was involved in the arson. She said Ms. Arnold was upbeat even when faced with the prospect of foreclosure last year.
"She said, 'Don't worry, I'm not going to lose the ranch,' " Ms. Reynolds said. "She was determined. She had nothing to gain from doing something like this."
The fires destroyed the ranch's office, a conference hall and a restaurant. The office fire was set after police had arrived at the ranch shortly before 9 p.m., records said.
The new owners estimate damage at up to $4 million.
Warrant says she was seen removing items before Texas Lil's arson
By KEVIN KRAUSE / The Dallas Morning News
JUSTIN, Texas - The former owner of Texas Lil's Dude Ranch lied to police about losing memorabilia in an arson fire that destroyed three buildings at the Denton County tourist attraction, according to her arrest warrant.
Lynda Arnold, 66, was seen carrying boxes out of the ranch's office less than three hours before it burned to the ground, according to documents made public Wednesday.
Ms. Arnold, who operated the dude ranch for 27 years before losing it in foreclosure, could not be reached for comment.
She told Northlake police the morning after the Nov. 4 fire that her magazine articles, awards, trophies, pictures and other items were destroyed by the office blaze, the arrest affidavit said.
But arson investigators didn't find any remnants of the items. Later that day, Northlake police found the items while searching her storage trailer across from her son's house, the arrest warrant stated.
Ms. Arnold told police she had given the trailer's keys to a ranch employee less than two hours before the fires so he could store his girlfriend's belongings. The employee, Billy Gene Howard, was arrested that night on three counts of arson.
Police arrested Ms. Arnold on Tuesday on a felony charge of evidence tampering.
When an officer told her that she had lied, Ms. Arnold replied, "So what? It's my property," according to the arrest report.
Trace Arnold said his mother is innocent. He said she removed only his grandmother's antiques and other items four weeks before the fires so the bankruptcy court could not sell them.
"Everything was in her office when she left at 5 p.m. that day [of the fire]," he said. "If you saw the heat of that fire, nothing could have made it."
Police on Nov. 5 also found a loaded 12-gauge shotgun belonging to Mr. Howard on the roof of Ms. Arnold's home at the ranch. Documents said Mr. Howard may have had the shotgun on the night of the fire.
Ms. Arnold said she didn't know how it got there but then later told officers that Mr. Howard had put it there, the report said.
When an officer asked why she didn't report the shotgun, Ms. Arnold "did not answer me and only looked at the floor," according to the report.
When the officer told her she had tampered with evidence, she replied, "You can't prove anything," the report said.
Ms. Arnold is out of jail on a $100,000 bond and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Mr. Howard, 48, is being held on $150,000 bail. Northlake police found him at the scene while the fires were burning. His clothes were covered with diesel fuel, which arson investigators said was used as an accelerant. He told police he used the fuel to try to extinguish the fire, according to police records.
Northlake police are continuing to investigate.
Mr. Arnold, 38, was a partner in Texas Lil's Family Limited Partnership, which owned the ranch. He said his mother was working out a deal with the new owners to continue on at the ranch.
"It wasn't over for her," he said.
She lost the ranch to foreclosure in early October after a yearlong court battle that included a bankruptcy filing to save it. Lone Star Bank, which loaned her $2 million in 1997, sold the ranch to a real estate venture after she defaulted on the loan.
Five witnesses, including a ranch manager and office receptionist, told investigators they saw Ms. Arnold cleaning out her "normally messy" office and leaving with boxes in the days before the fires, the arrest report said.
One witness who worked for Ms. Arnold told police he and others removed her "furniture, stuffed wild game head mounts, a piano and other expensive items" from the ranch's dance hall "a short time before the fire," the affidavit said.
A different witness said Ms. Arnold told him she had lost all her personal items from the dance hall in the fire.
Another witness said he asked Ms. Arnold whether she was moving out after seeing her leave the office with boxes the day before the fires. Ms. Arnold replied that she was cleaning out her office, the affidavit said.
Gail Reynolds, who owns a flower shop down the road, said she doesn't think Ms. Arnold was involved in the arson. She said Ms. Arnold was upbeat even when faced with the prospect of foreclosure last year.
"She said, 'Don't worry, I'm not going to lose the ranch,' " Ms. Reynolds said. "She was determined. She had nothing to gain from doing something like this."
The fires destroyed the ranch's office, a conference hall and a restaurant. The office fire was set after police had arrived at the ranch shortly before 9 p.m., records said.
The new owners estimate damage at up to $4 million.
