A serial arsonist in Lavaca County, Texas pleaded guilty to one count of felony vehicle arson and admitted to starting six hay bale fires dating to 2024, the Texas Department of Insurance announced this week.
The Hallettsville Police Department arrested Kody Derner in April 2025, and the Lavaca County Attorney’s Office charged him with the felonies in June. The arrest came after a State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) investigation into two vehicle fires and a storage building at a hotel in Hallettsville. Analysis of Derner’s cell phone and geolocation data provided evidence of the arson and the other hay bale fires.
Derner was sentenced to four years in prison and must pay the fire victims over $24,000. Another arson case is pending against Derner in Harris County.
The City of Humble Fire Marshal’s Office and the Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office also helped with the case.
Topics Texas
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