On Sunday, April 2 at approximately 9:22 p.m., officers with the Great Bend Police Department were dispatched to 3910 Cedar Park Place Apt. 8A in Great Bend in reference to smoke entering the apartment. The call report smoke coming from a hot water heater.
Upon arrival, along with the Great Bend Fire Department, it was discovered the smoke was entering apartment 8A from the wall conjoined with apartment 8B. Crews were informed that the house might be occupied and an interior search was performed. The Great Bend Fire Department made entry into apartment 8B, and during the search for occupants a fire was found in the bedroom which was extinguished. The search revealed that the apartment was found to be unoccupied.
Members of the Great Bend Fire Department reported to officers on scene of signs of arson inside the residence. An officer on scene advised upon his arrival, he observed an individual walking away from the complex that he has taken multiple calls about during the weekend. The officer identified the male as Michael Leeper, age 27.
Leeper was located at a residence in the City of Great Bend and was detained pending investigation.
During the investigation, officers and firefighters located a broken glass and blood throughout the crime scene. When officers located Leeper, he had injuries to his hands and arms, consistent with burns and cuts. Leeper was treated for injuries by the Great Bend Fire Department and placed under arrest and transported to the Barton County Jail where he was booked for aggravated arson and held on a $100,000 bond.
If anyone has any information regarding this or any other investigation, they are encouraged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at (620) 793-4120 or Great Bend Crime Stoppers at (620) 792-1300 or online at p3tips.com.