Richfield man arrested, accused of setting fire to ex's home 3 times in past month

RICHFIELD — A Richfield man was arrested Sunday and accused of setting three fires outside his ex-wife's Richfield home since September.

Delmar Ray Barney, 38, was booked into Sevier County Jail for investigation of 20 potential crimes, including two counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated arson, eight counts of aggravated assault, four counts of violating a protective order, drug possession, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The dangerous series of events began about 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 11 when a fire was reported outside the home of Barney's ex-wife. The woman, who was not home at the time, returned "and found where the smoke had come from as part of her backyard, and side of her home were burned at her bathroom window," according to a police booking affidavit. "The siding was melted on the side of the house, approximately 4 feet high from the burnt debris trail."

The Utah State Fire Marshall's Office and investigators found evidence of an accelerant being used and "the fire was determined to be arson," the affidavit states.

Four days later, about 1:20 a.m. on Sept. 15, the woman reported another fire outside her house that started while she and her two children were sleeping.

"Officers arrived and made contact with the distraught victim. Officers reported seeing smoke coming from the weeds against the house. The victim stated she heard a loud thump, and when she went toward her bathroom to check, she could smell gas and smoke. The victim ran outside and could see the embers and smoke, then called 911," according to the affidavit.

"There were some areas of the siding that were burned/melted clear through, so the underlayment of the house was exposed. This fire had burned a more significant portion of the house," the affidavit says.

The woman had installed surveillance cameras after the first fire.

Then on Sept. 22, police returned to the home about 2:40 a.m. on a report of a suspicious person dressed in all black.

"The subject walks to the same bathroom window from the prior two arson incidents, looks in the window, then walks to the front corner of the house. The subject looks up at the camera and puts his hand up in front of his face, where he is seen wearing a black mask. The victim stated without any doubt she recognizes the walk, the way the legs move, the way the arms move, the small limp, and the way his head moves down right before the camera. The victim stated she's known Delmar Barney, her ex-husband, for 15 years, and was certain that was his walk," according to the affidavit.

Shoe prints and the man's gloves were also identified by the woman as belonging to Barney.

About 2:30 a.m. Sunday, emergency crews were called to a third fire at the home.

"The victim reported a loud explosion and a fire in her front bedroom window," the affidavit states.

"The subject ignites an item and throws it at the house," investigators reported seeing on video recorded from the security camera. "The subject appears to start to run away, then comes back to the house, grabs some rocks, then grabs the ignited item and throws it at the house again as it explodes.

"The fire had burned into the residence where there was a bed, just inside the window," where the woman and a man were lying in at the time, according to the affidavit. "Part of the bed was burned, which placed both of the victims in immediate danger of serious bodily injury or death."

Police found Barney at his Richfield residence about 11:10 a.m. and arrested him.

The woman already has a protective order against Barney, who police say "has had several involvements, including threats with the victim over the past several months" and "has shown complete disregard for the protective order."

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