Prosecutor: Ansonia, OH, Firefighter Responded to Fire He Allegedly Set after Shooting Woman
A firefighter is facing aggravated murder and arson charges after authorities say he shot a woman and then set fire to her home. Investigators allege he responded to the scene as a firefighter.
Peyton Beam, 22, responded to the house fire on Zumbrum Road in Darke County on Friday as a member of the Ansonia Volunteer Fire Department.
Crews found 50-year-old Ericka Kramer dead inside the home, according to WHIO.com. Investigators later determined her death was a homicide.
“The victim in this matter was executed by the defendant,” the Darke County Prosecutor’s Office alleged during a bond hearing. Prosecutors say Beam shot Kramer twice in the head and twice in the back before dousing her in gasoline and setting the fire in an attempt to cover up the crime.
“Under the guise of being a firefighter, he was one of the first people to get to the property,” authorities said.
Beam was arrested over the weekend.
Defense attorney John Rion argued there is no direct evidence linking Beam to the crime. He added that Beam had done farm work for Kramer for several years and considered her “like a second mother.”
“He would never hurt someone he’s worked with for seven years,” Rion said.
Prosecutors requested a $20 million bond, but a judge set Beam’s bond at $5 million.
About the Author
Peter Matthews
Editor-in-Chief/Conference Director
Peter Matthews is the conference director and editor-in-chief of Firehouse. He has worked at Firehouse since 1999, serving in various roles on both Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com staffs. He completed an internship with the Rochester, NY, Fire Department and served with fire departments in Rush, NY, and Laurel, MD, and was a lieutenant with the Glenwood Fire Company in Glenwood Landing, NY. Matthews served as photographer for the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department and currently is a photographer for the Fort Worth, TX, Fire Department.