A man reportedly told his mother he was hearing demons after setting fire to his ex-wife's Mesa home.
Court records show that on the morning of June 26, a man set the home on fire near Stapley Drive and Main Street, and later told his mother he would do the same to her house.
Police report that a Mesa woman who lives in a trailer on the property owned by the suspect's ex-wife, heard 50-year-old Jim Arthur Gonzalez threaten to burn down her home and his ex-wife's home, killing both of them and himself.
The woman contacted the ex-wife as she reportedly saw Gonzalez wearing a backpack with a jug sticking out the top of it.
She then saw dark smoke coming out of the bathroom and kitchen. Fire crews quickly put out the fire and there were no injures.
Later police were called to the home of the suspect's mother near Baseline and Sossaman roads where they found Gonzalez holding a phone and a torch lighter.
Gonzalez allegedly told his mother that he was hearing demons and burned down his ex-wife's home. He also reportedly threatened to burn down her house.
Gonzalez has been charged with arson of an occupied structure.
