Indiana Man Charged With Arson After Allegedly Using Severed Genitals to Start Garage Fire

An Indiana man has been charged with felony arson after police alleged he severed his own genitals and used them to start a fire inside his mother's detached garage, according to court records.

Christopher Michael Peden, 36, of Fort Wayne, is accused of pouring petrol over the severed body part before setting it alight during the incident on 6 May. Investigators allege he then left the garage and was later found nearby with serious self-inflicted injuries.

Firefighters initially believed they were responding to a routine garage fire while police separately investigated what was reported as a stabbing. Authorities later concluded the two incidents were connected after Peden was taken to hospital and allegedly admitted starting the fire, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Police Linked Separate Emergency Calls

Court documents state that firefighters were called to a detached garage fire at a home where Peden's mother and brother lived.

A neighbour who spotted smoke repeatedly knocked on the front door to alert the occupants, who were unaware the detached garage was on fire. Peden's brother told firefighters the building had no electrical supply and that the only fuel stored inside was a small petrol container used for the family's lawnmower. Investigators later treated the blaze as deliberate after evidence recovered from the scene matched Peden's alleged account.

Around the same time, police officers responded to reports of a stabbing and found Peden suffering from severe injuries consistent with significant blood loss. According to court documents, he initially claimed he had been stabbed in downtown Fort Wayne and said someone had threatened him the previous day.

Investigators said Peden later asked to speak with an officer while receiving treatment in hospital. According to the affidavit, he admitted the injuries were self-inflicted and allegedly told officers he had entered the detached garage at about 2am, used a kitchen knife to sever his own genitals, poured petrol over them and deliberately started the fire before leaving the property.

Evidence Recovered Matched Police Allegation

Fire investigators recovered a red plastic petrol container, four lighters and a kitchen knife from the damaged garage, according to court documents. The affidavit states the items were consistent with the account Peden allegedly gave investigators while in hospital.

Authorities have not alleged that anyone else was injured in the fire. Peden's mother and brother were inside the house when the garage caught fire but were alerted by a neighbour and escaped unharmed.

Arson Charge Carries 12-Year Maximum Sentence

Peden has been charged with one count of felony arson, an offence that carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 12 years if he is convicted. He has not yet entered a plea, according to publicly available court records.

During an initial court hearing on 2 July, an Allen County judge set bail at $10,000 (about £5,200). Online court records show a surety bond was posted on 7 July, allowing his release from custody.

Peden is due back in court on 13 July and 31 August, according to online court records. The allegations against him are contained in court documents and have not been tested in court. Public court records do not yet list a trial date.