Two men from Toccoa have been arrested following two arson fires in late 2019.
Raymond Garcia, 27, and Weston Kirkland, 21, each face two charges of arson in the first degree.
Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John F. King said investigators discovered the fire of the porch at 759 West Doyle Street on January 22 while investigating a fire at an abandoned storage building at 500 West Curahee Street. Both locations are in Toccoa.
Investigators learned through tips and their investigation that both fires were set at the same time and the same people, even though the West Curahee fire was discovered on December 26, 2019, and the West Doyle Street fire was discovered January 22.
“This has been a very complex and thorough investigation by all parties involved,” said Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King. “This goes to show that when citizens step up and report vital information, it allows law enforcement officials to effectively and efficiently complete these important investigations.”
Kirkland has since bonded out of the Stephens County Jail, but Garcia remains there with a $40,000 bond.
