Tommy Lee Harrison Sr., Arson, Indiana 2021

A Connersville family’s peaceful life was shattered when Tommy Lee Harrison Sr., 34, of Birmingham, Alabama, set fire to his father’s home, killing two family pets and leaving the family’s children without a livable bedroom. The devastating crime occurred on October 29, 2021, at 1:40 am, when Harrison arrived at his father’s residence.

According to court documents, Harrison left Birmingham, Alabama, with the intent to travel to Connersville, Indiana, to set fire to the home where his father lived. During the nearly eight-hour drive, Harrison stopped at a Walmart in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and purchased a can of black spray paint. The video surveillance from the area showed Harrison parking next door to the victim’s house, exiting the vehicle, placing a container on the ground, and driving away.

Harrison returned approximately twenty minutes later and repeatedly drove around the residence for approximately twenty minutes until he backed his car into the yard. Over the next hour, Harrison used gasoline to light the inside and outside of his family’s home on fire, destroying their master bedroom and killing two of the family’s beloved pets, a cat and a dog.

The defendant’s actions also included defacing the property with a racial slur using the black spray paint he purchased earlier. Harrison departed the scene of the crime and returned to Alabama, where he was later arrested. The FBI, the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana investigated the case.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, stated that the defendant’s actions had a devastating impact not only on the immediate victims but on the community of Connersville as well. Myers also noted that crossing state lines to commit a violent crime is a serious offense that merits a serious federal prison sentence.

The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. The sentence includes 57 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley P. Shepard, who prosecuted this case.

The case is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of violent crimes and the need for law enforcement agencies to work together to bring perpetrators to justice. As the Connersville community continues to heal, the Grimy Times will continue to report on the case and provide updates on any developments.

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