Sunday, June 18th at approximately 1:41 pm, 911 received a call of a house on fire at 3215 Hwy 62 East, Mountain Home. Firefighters from Northeast Lakeside, Henderson and Hand Cove responded and were able to extinguish the blaze before the house was a total loss.  Fire Fighters were suspicious of the fire and Baxter County Sheriff’s Investigator Brad Hurst begin and investigation into the incident.  There were no injuries however an animal, a cat perished in the fire.

Sgt. Hurst determined the fire had been purposely set.  Three forged checks were recovered belonging to the home owners.  During the course of his investigation, a suspect was developed, the son-in-law of the home owners.  The suspect was interviewed but many of the suspect’s statements were later determined to be false.   

The suspect was interviewed a second time on Thursday and admitted to the Arson and other crimes. Based upon evidence collected, interviews of witnesses and statements by the suspect Investigators believe Mitchell Dylan Teconchuk knew the home owners were out of town that day and drove to their home, set it on fire, then drove back home, picked up his wife, daughter of the home owners, drove back to the home to make it look like they had discovered the fire. Teconchuk had his wife call 911 to report the fire.  Investigators believe the fire was set to cover up that Teconchuk had stolen items from the residence along with other crimes.

Mitchel Dylan Teconchuk, age 21 of rural Mountain Home was arrested and charged with:

Arson          Class Y Felony
Burglary, Residential                       Class B Felony
Filing a False Report                        Class D Felony
Forgery, 3 Counts                           Class C Felony
Theft of Property, 3 Counts             Class A Misdemeanor

Teconchuk, who has been booked into the Baxter County Jail 12 previous times, is also being held on a probation violation from previous felony convictions. Since 2014 Teconchuk has been arrested and charged with Parole Revocation 4 separate times Forgery, Felony Fleeing, Breaking or Entering, Shoplifting, Theft of Property, Contempt of Court, Hot Checks 3 separate times, and Felony Theft of Property.

Teconchuk is currently being held in the Baxter County Detention Center on $150,000 pending his appearance in Baxter County Circuit Court on June 29.

Sheriff John Montgomery