OELWEIN, Iowa (KCRG) - A woman was charged with arson following a Tuesday morning fire that destroyed three homes in Oelwein. 2d1m1k
Oelwein police arrested 50 year-old Jeannie Marie Murphy of Oelwein on a felony first-degree arson charge and said more charges are possible.
The fire started just after 2:00 am Tuesday morning at a home in the 300 block of First Ave NE in Oelwein before spreading to two neighboring homes. All three homes are considered a total loss.
Oelwein police did not say what led them to Murphy but said firefighters deemed the fire suspicious in nature. A December 2023 arrest on drug charges listed Murphy’s address as 316 First Ave NE in Oelwein, one of the homes destroyed in Tuesday’s fire. That drug charge was later dismissed.
“We are extremely grateful and proud of the collaborative efforts of all of the volunteer 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.”
Murphy was also arrested in 2023 and charged with attempted murder for an attack on a detention officer in the Fayette County Jail. She later took a plea deal to assault on persons in certain occupations and received a year probation.
Also in 2023, Murphy was charged with domestic assault after Oelwein police said Murphy poured a homemade acid on a her father in the home at 316 First Ave NE. She took a plea deal in that case and received a 2-day jail sentence.
