Macon County arson suspect Keith Eugene Mann appeared in federal court in Asheville Monday and waived his right for an initial detention hearing. Mann is being held without bond, and stands accused of setting a number of small wildfires this fall throughout Macon County. He currently faces one felony count of destroying United States property by means of fire—a charge that carries up to twenty years in prison.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, Mann initially called 9-1-1 to report one of the fires. But acting on tips from the community, detectives further pressed him, at which point he ultimately confessed to setting two fires.
In court documents, when asked why he set the fires, Mann told a Forest Service agent he was bored and “wanted to see something burn”. Authorities are still pursuing additional suspects, as all but one of the fires is believed to be caused by humans.