Arson suspect said fires were to chase snakes away, police say

Published 9:26 pm Tuesday, March 30, 2021

A Louisiana woman accused of setting fires told investigators she and her boyfriend were trying to get rid of snakes, the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry says.

Robert Lee Ramirez, 34, of Leesville, faces two counts of arson and remained at large Tuesday, department spokesman Veronica Mosgrove said in an email.

Laura Ashley Lee, 34, also of Leesville, was released on $3,500 bond after being arrested March 18 on one count of arson, a news release said Monday.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

The two are boyfriend and girlfriend, Mosgrove said in an email Monday.

According to the statement, investigators say Ramirez set multiple fires along the road and in woods owned by others around their home.

Two numbers listed for a Laura A. Lee in Leesville are no longer in service. Mosgrove said she doesn’t know whether Lee has an attorney who could speak for her.