Evidence revealed in a probable cause hearing linked Brandon Marty Cook, 25, and Raymond Chad Hansard, 20, to a series of fires between April 3 and June 9 in the area. Investigators said the men admitted to the fires and burglaries.
A friend of Cook's and Hansard's also came forward to police after the well-publicized string of fires and burglaries. She identified Hansard on a surveillance video from a May 29 fire at a Suwanee business.
The homes and cars of Cook and Hansard were later searched and authorities found an odd assortment of items reported missing from the burned buildings.
In Hansard's home, authorities found a Honda motorcycle missing from a golf course building that was burned. He also held on to a children's bow-and-arrow set from a YMCA storage container that was burned, said Lt. Kevin Wallace, an arson investigator with the Forsyth County Fire Department.
Magistrate Judge Barbara Cole agreed there was enough evidence for the cases to proceed. She again denied bond for both men.
Hansard and Cook have yet to face at least 10 similar charges from fires set in Gwinnett County last month.
Fifty arson fires set in Fulton, Gwinnett and Forsyth counties from April to June were similar in terms of origin and items found in the buildings that were used to start the fires, police have said.
Hansard's attorney, Jeffrey Purvis, said the stolen items found on Hansard don't prove he started the fires.
``Recovering evidence does not necessarily mean that someone started a fire,'' Purvis said.
Cook's attorney, Lawrence Delan, said there was no physical evidence proving Cook was involved. Investigators never got fingerprints from any of the fires.
``The only evidence you have on him is statements. That's it,'' Delan said.
The Forsyth County district attorney, Penny Penn, insisted it was clear the men were behind all the arsons.
``These fires all involved the same M.O.,'' Penn said.
The men will next face indictment proceedings and the Gwinnett charges.
The fires in Forsyth County were set at either businesses, cars or unoccupied homes. No one was injured in any of the fires.
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