Second man charged in fatal Detroit arson

Prosecutors say firefighter died after $20 paid to start fire

Santiago Esparza and Charlie LeDuff / The Detroit News

Detroit -- In the end, it only cost $20 to take firefighter Walt Harris' life.

That's how much money Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy alleges Mario Willis paid Darien Dove to burn down a dreary bungalow owned by Willis' girlfriend.

Willis even drove Dove to the home Nov. 15 of last year to commit the arson, Worthy alleges. The home at 7481 Kirby quickly shot up in flames. The blaze caused the roof to collapse, suffocating Harris, according to the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office.

Willis was arraigned Thursday evening on felony murder and arson of a dwelling charges. The murder charge carries a mandatory life sentence without possibility of parole. The arson charge is a 20-year felony.

"Twenty dollars or $20 million ... it isn't worth a life. It cheapens it," Detroit Fire Chief Harry Brown said.

The house on Kirby on the city's east side had been set on fire about two years ago and its owner collected more than $20,000 in insurance money, Detroit fire investigators and others said. Willis and his girlfriend were questioned but never charged in the fire. The owner is not a suspect in the arson that claimed Harris' life.

Dove pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Tuesday in exchange for a promise to cooperate as a witness and a sentencing recommendation, Worthy said. She refused to say what the recommendation would be before the arraignment.

Investigators questioned Dove for four hours in June. Subpoenaed phone records showed Willis had called Dove numerous times before and after the fire. A half-dozen calls made between 4-6 a.m. were focused on, fire investigators said.

Harris was a Baptist minister, husband and father of six, one of whom is a firefighter. Brown on Thursday thanked investigators for their handling of the case.

"Because of their work we can bring closure to the Harris family," he said.

Firefighters initially complained there seemed to be a lack of priority given to investigating the incident. Soon after their comments appeared in The Detroit News, the house was torn down and Detroit Police Special Assignment Squad detectives were put on the job.

Police Chief Warren Evans, who was not in office when Harris died or the investigation began, said losing a firefighter or police officer makes investigators determined to solve the crime.

All loss of life is given priority, Evans said, but Harris received more attention because "firefighters and police officers go toward problems when everyone else runs away from them."

That willingness to sacrifice his life made Harris a hero, Worthy said.

"We are extra proud to announce we have finally been able to charge a second man in this case," she said.

Arson-related insurance fraud in Detroit soared 40 percent between 2005-08, said Detroit Arson Squad Chief Gery Victor. There were 6,486 arsons investigated by the squad in 2008, a 27.8 percent jump over the squad's 5,074 cases in 2004, Victor said.

About one-half of all fires in Wayne County and 10 percent in the state are arson, according to the Michigan Insurance Fraud Awareness Coalition.

So the coalition is raising $1 million to fund a prosecutor and two investigators who would report to Worthy beginning Jan. 1.

"I hope it sends a message to the arsonists plaguing the city of Detroit," said Detroit Fire Department Lt. Mike Nevins, a friend and housemate of Harris who was at the scene the fatal fire. "We'll get you. It doesn't bring my friend back though."

sesparza@detnews.com (313) 222-2127