San Angelo Man Indicted for Setting a House on Fire

SAN ANGELO, TX- A San Angelo man has been indicted by a Tom Green County grand jury for arson after setting a house on fire in November 2021.

Justin Ross Cuellar has been indicted for one count of arson and one count of arson with intend to damage a habitation or place of worship after getting into an argument with the victim and his girlfriend.

As we reported at the time, the fire destroyed a house in the 2400 block of W. Harris Ave. 

According to court documents, an investigator spoke with the victim who said prior to the fire, they were on the phone with Cuellar. Cuellar told the victim, “I’m burning this b*tch down.” The victim said Cuellar was upset because Cuellar had been arguing with his girlfriend and that Cuellar was arguing with the victim over nothing.

Then, as the victim was telling Cuellar he was going to get a hotel room to avoid a confrontation, the victim received a phone call from a neighbor. The neighbor told the victim his home was on fire.

Members of the San Angelo Police Department’s Anti-Crime Unit received a written statement from a witness who claimed Cuellar told her, “I set my house on fire.” Before Cuellar left, he asked this witness if his secret was safe with her.

Investigators spoke with Cuellar at a residence on Raney Street about the arson. Cuellar terminated the interview after agreeing to speak with investigators and did not give any pertinent information regarding the structure fire.

Justin Ross Cuellar was arrested and booked into the Tom Green County Detention Facility on November 29, 2021, where he is currently an inmate being held on $750,000.00 bond.

Arson is a second-degree felony in the state of Texas with can result in 2 to 20 years in prison and a $10,000.00 fine while arson with intention to damage habitation or place of worship carries a penalty of 5 to 99 years in prison and a maximum $10,000.00 fine.