A homeless man arrested by Phoenix police for arson has been tied to six additional arson cases that occurred in Mesa.
Court records show that the man started six fires in four days in Mesa and also threw a brick through the window of a funeral home.
Mesa police say that 51-year-old Joseph Daniel Carter threw a brick through a funeral home window near Centennial Way and Main Street. On March 30, Carter was scared out of the building when he was seen by an employee.
Police say they found and arrested Carter down the street. Carter reportedly told police that he intended to steal a laptop computer to pawn off. However, at the time the building owner did not want to prosecute.
On April 4, Carter was arrested by Phoenix police after an arson behind a Wal-Mart store near Central Avenue and Dunlap Road.
Mesa police investigated the incident and discovered Carter was also responsible for six arsons in Mesa. The first on March 6, two more on April 1, two others on April 2 and another one on April 3. All were either behind businesses or in the alley way.
During his interview, Carter reportedly admitted to starting the fires. Carter will face an additional six counts of arson and one count of burglary.
