Thanks for letting me on. I just want to give some history on me before I begin. I am a 20 year resident of the Thunderbird Farms area with family ties here since the early 80's. I live a block away from the Dugan residence that MC & TC were residing at. I drove by the property multiple times a week to visit friends or run to the convenience store. I have met most of the family at some point in time, their kids went to school with my kids. I am in no way a friend of any of the parties, just an acquaintance or know of them from the neighborhood. With that said, here is what I know.
The layout out here is - the properties are 3.3 acres lots, no sidewalks, no street lights, no traffic lights. Rural. We have one family restaurant/bar/grill/pool hall all rolled into one, 2 convenience stores and that is it for 15 miles. Our blocks are 1/2 mile long. So a walk around the block is 4 miles.
We are in the middle of agricultural fields. Mostly melons, corn, cotton and cattle feeds. The farms employ hundreds of migrant workers to work in the fields. Who else would be picking melons in 115 degree heat for 8 hours. Break ins, alcohol, loitering and many other petty crimes are the norm out here. However, those of us that live out here typically don't have many issues with the field workers, as most of us take security precautions such as locked gates, dogs and firearms. I have felt safe for my entire time out here.
The fires of 2014 - All the fires were on vacant, unoccupied dwellings. These buildings have been vacant or even unlivable for many years. Some of the properties that were torched were simply untrimmed palm trees/brush with out a building on them or involved. There were about 10 separate properties burned, but the "fire starter" would relight some of the structures multiple times until everything on the property was burned. He lit one place up at least 5 times in one week. The fires continued after MC's property was burned. While PCSO said they had a lead, nothing was ever told to the community about apprehending someone in connection to the fires. We all had a suspicion as to who was responsible, as one guy was seen at nearly all the fires on a bike and no one from the community knew him.
MC and TC's property - Their garage was nothing more than a concrete pad with the framing up for the garage. No walls/roof/electric. It was started and sat like that for many months with no change. The "trailer" that they stored their personal belongings in was an older single-wide trailer that surely wouldn't be livable from the looks of it going passed it on the road. Did not appear to have power running to any of it from the power poles. The burnt remains for the garage frame still stands.
The Dugan "compound" was the party house in the neighborhood. Having parties nearly weekly and often several times during the week. My kids have been there for the parties that included under age drinking and at least the smoking of weed. They are not as innocent as the family is trying to make them out to be. You have seen pix of MC and Luke with beers in their hands...Luke is 17. One of my children went with a friend to a party where kids (high schoolers) were playing beer pong and there was a free flowing keg for the kids. All, of course, supervised by the adults of the household and some of the other kids from the neighborhood's parents. The kids were told if they get drunk, they were welcome to stay in one of the 3-4 campers located on the property. Luckily, my kid and friend have common sense and came home.
JV had a good reputation with his electrical clients from what I know. I had seen his company truck at the Dugan's many times over the last year...sometimes very late into the night. I am really not too sure of the relationship prior to the fires. As an electrician, I guess he was a good guy. But my kids know of him as "Nacho the drug dealer". Ask any 20-something kid in the area that has dabbled in drugs and you will get the same answer. One of my kids is not an angel and when I told them about this, I got the reply to stay out of the conversation/search/mention of the situation and that I did not need my name associated in any fashion. I heeded the warning.
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