Suspects arrested in fatal Cave Junction fire

MEDFORD, Ore. — Four Cave Junction men including two brothers were arrested on murder and arson charges surrounding a rural Josephine County house fire in which a 65-year-old man was found dead.

Brothers Richard Mark Webb, 37, and Kenny Webb, 35, were each arrested Tuesday on charges of aggravated murder, while suspects Justin Mason, 29, and Dakota Crow, 24, were each arrested on standard murder charges in the death of 65-year-old Donald Thomas, according to a release issued by Oregon State Police.

Atop the murder charges, the four suspects also face charges of first-degree arson and first-degree burglary in Thomas’ death.

Firefighters found Thomas dead in his home following a house fire reported just after midnight the morning of Jan. 15, according to earlier news reports, and released surveillance video earlier this year of an individual apparently throwing flares from a vehicle prior to the fire.

OSP has not released any further information in the death investigation beyond the four suspects’ charges.

Josephine County Jail records show that Richard Webb has been held in the jail since Oct. 20 on a separate felony charge of second-degree assault constituting domestic violence on accusations he assaulted his fiancée by pushing her into the side of a wood stove while fire was going, according to jail records and court documents filed in the domestic violence case.

An Illinois Valley Fire District firefighter responds to the fatal fire at the home of 65-year-old Donald Thomas. File photo.

The three other suspects were booked in the jail Tuesday, where they’ll be held without bail.

According to court records, the Josephine County District Attorney’s office had not yet filed charges in the alleged homicide as of Tuesday evening.