HARTFORD, Wis. — A small community in Washington County was shocked to learn a massive barn fire might've been started on purpose.
Kyle Schellinger, 21, has been charged with two counts of arson — one for his parents' barn and another for his aunt and uncle's barn across the street. He is also charged with retail theft for stealing Skittles from a Kwik Trip in Slinger.
Washington County Reporter Marcus Aarsvold interviewed the suspect last month, when Schellinger showed him around his family's barn, which was destroyed in a massive fire.
Watch: Hartford man accused of burning down his family's barn
"It's hard seeing it," he said in September. "Twenty years I've lived here, seeing the horses here, they're always out here and just having fun. Now, it's just gone, but it's alright. It'll come back."
During the initial interview, Schellinger said he believed the fire was started by unknown suspects. According to the criminal complaint filed one month later, he confessed to the Sheriff's Office and said he did it, "It was me... I don't know what I was doing... I wasn't mentally right."
"Shock, I guess. I know the parents from school, and I just never would expect anything like that," Fire Chief Jeffrey Infalt said. "It's pretty disappointing when you find out that there are members of your community that could actually do something like this, let alone possibly to their own family."
Infalt is the volunteer fire chief of the St. Lawrence Fire Company, which responded to the barn fire. He knows the Schellingers and says it's a shock to find out their son is a suspect, but he's relieved nobody was hurt.
"It's hard enough putting out accidental fires," he said. "It makes it difficult when you find out it could've been prevented. Somebody actually did this on purpose, at least alleged to have done this on purpose, I could've had some of my guys or girls get hurt, or even worse."
Joelle Laufer is a family friend who started a GoFundMe for the Schellingers that raised nearly $3,000 and said she still supports them despite the charges brought against their son.
She sent TMJ4 News the following statement:
Those of us that truly know the Schellinger family are heartbroken for them. This is yet another tragedy for them to endure.
We all ask that everyone show compassion for the family as they navigate the unimaginable.
Schellinger is charged with two felony counts of arson. Both felony charges, upon conviction, carry $100,000 fines and at most 40 years imprisonment. The misdemeanor retail theft charge could result in a maximum payment of $10,000 and nine months of prison time.
The Schellingger family declined to comment. A hearing is set for Nov. 7th at 11 a.m. in Washington County court.
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