Three arrests have been made in connection with an arson and burglary investigation in the Eden Prairie Subdivision. Authorities were called to the scene at 315A Eden Prairie Court around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5, for a report of the apartment being on fire. According to Cuba Fire Chief Mike Plank, when his department arrived on scene, the fire had “pretty much gone out on its own. There was a lot of smoke but not much of a fire.”

Paul Crow of the Cuba Police Department described the apartment as having “a lot of smoke and soot in the building. The sofa had been on fire and was about halfway melted. It was still smoldering and had filled the room with black smoke.”

Investigators believed they had stumbled upon a crime scene, based on the evidence they found there. “The back door was open and there were DVDs lying on the ground outside,” said Crow. “It just didn’t add up. Things appeared to be missing from the apartment, and it was fishy from the very beginning. It all looked a bit strange for a fire scene, just not quite right.”

The neighbors living in apartment next door had called in the fire and told police they heard noise, as if someone was home. But the renter was in St. Louis at the time of the fire, and was able to provide proof of his whereabouts.

“We ruled out the victim pretty quickly,” said Crow, “but our conversation with him led us to a female friend of his that he was with prior to the burglary, before he had left for St. Louis that day. We believe she left the back door unlocked and also stole cash from his wallet.”

Police say the woman, identified as Ann Ransom, 22, of Cuba, worked in conjunction with two other accomplices in planning the Eden Prairie burglary.

A flat screen television set, Playstation game system, video camera, DVDs and other personal items were among those listed as missing.

An interview with Ransom led police to two others believed to have been involved: Timothy J. Smith, 26, of Sullivan, and Tiffany Ramirez, 25, of Cuba.

Crow told Three Rivers Publishing that their plan called for a simple burglary of the apartment and that setting fire to the building to cover their tracks may have been done as an afterthought.

Though the three suspects have allegedly confessed their involvement, no one wants to take blame for the fire. “It depends upon who you ask as to who really started the fire. They’re all blaming each other,” said Crow. “The sofa was set on fire, probably with a lighter.”

The trouble for the would-be burglars is that the victim’s neighbors were home at the time. Not only did they call the fire department, their being inside the building raises the threshold of the crime from arson, second degree to arson, first degree. It carries a penalty of 5 to 15 years.

All three suspects have been arrested on charges of arson in the first degree, burglary in the second degree and felony stealing. Additional charges could be pending against Ramirez for child endangerment, as she reportedly stayed in the car with a three-year-old child while the burglary was taking place.

“It was a really good, smooth investigation,” said Crow. “The crime took place on Dec. 5 and we had the suspects under arrest by Dec. 10. It took good cooperation between our department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. It all really fell right into place for us.”

Crow thanked the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department for their role in apprehending Smith, the third suspect sought in the case.