Man denies arson, attempted homicide charges

A 23-year-old Montana man has denied multiple charges alleging that he robbed and lit a Rollins house on fire while the homeowner slept inside.

Shane Thomas Northweather pleaded not guilty in Lake County District last week to felony charges of arson, aggravated burglary, theft and attempted homicide.

According to court documents, investigators suspect that Northweather intentionally started the Nov. 20 fire that destroyed the home of an 84-year-old doctor on Shelter Bay Lane. The homeowner was awakened by the sound of smoke detectors and escaped unharmed, but the house was estimated as a $1-million loss.

Witnesses told law enforcement officials that Northweather had visited the property earlier that day to perform yard work and allegedly saw a large amount of cash being counted on the counter, documents state. Northweather told investigators that the homeowner allowed him stay in the guesthouse in order to take him to pick up a prescription in the morning – a claim that the homeowner later denied.

Northweather said that he entered the residence around 11 p.m. on Nov. 20 to get firewood for the guesthouse, and saw the homeowner sleeping on a couch in front of a lit fireplace, documents state. The homeowner later recounted that he was sleeping in his bedroom and had not lit a fire before going to bed.

Northweather allegedly moved to Arkansas several days after the fire, using funds sent to him through a Wal-Mart money transfer. Investigators contacted the company and found no evidence of such a transfer, according to documents.

District Court Judge Deborah Kim Christopher scheduled a jury trial for Aug. 21. Northweather remains in Lake County Jail.