Pine Prairie Man Arrested for Attempted Murder, Arson

EVANGELINE PARISH (July 26, 2024)- State Fire Marshal Chief Bryan J Adams is announcing the arrest of a Pine Prairie man accused of setting fire to a home with a family of six inside.

Rusty Gautreaux, 33, was booked into the Evangeline Parish Jail on Thursday, July 25, on six counts of Attempted 1st Degree Murder and one count of Aggravated Arson.

At 9:30 a.m., on the 25th, Evangeline Parish Ward 4 Fire Department responded to a call for a house fire located in the 1000 block of Gautreaux Lane in Pine Prairie. A woman, a teenager and four children were inside of the home at the time of the fire, but all were able to escape safely.

During the investigation which included assistance from the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies determined the fire was intentionally set and identified Gautreaux, a relative of the family, as the suspect. Gautreaux had been taken into custody near the scene for outstanding warrants as well as in connection with a physical altercation that occurred outside of the home shortly after the fire was discovered.

Following an interview with investigators, Gautreaux was booked in
connection with this incident.

The SFM would like to thank the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office for their partnership on this case.