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Police: Man admits to setting fire, painting racial slur on own home

Posted at 2:44 PM, Apr 03, 2013
and last updated 2013-04-03 18:32:35-04

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - Police in Chesterfield arrested a man accused of setting his own house on fire.

In addition to the fire, police said the man also spray painted racial slurs on his home which sits along the 7800 block of Little Ridge Court.

Olander Cuthrell, 41,  is being held without bond at the Chesterfield County Jail until his next court hearing on April 17.

[Click here to see the original report on this fire]

Chesterfield Police Lt. Steve Grohowski said Cuthrell admitted to police he committed the crime. Grohowski said Cuthrell indicated his family was dealing with some financial problems at the time of the March 15 vandalism and fire.

"Allegations of Civil Rights violations, specifically claims of a Hate Crime, are serious matters, and the FBI assisted the Chesterfield County Police Department in its investigation of the incident," Chesterfield Police wrote in a news release.

Grohowski said Cuthrell emerged as a suspect about a week into the investigation. Grohowski would not say what evidence led them to consider Cuthrell a suspect.

No one was hurt in the March fire.