Guthrie County Sheriff, Marty Arganbright, held a press conference Wednesday afternoon announcing the arrest of two individuals in connection to the Monday, May 15 Guthrie Center fire that left two children dead. Arganbright, says 26-year-old Patrick Ryan Thompson was taken into custody in Ames and transported to the Guthrie County jail where he is currently being held. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and arson. Another man, James Exline, was arrested Wednesday by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office and charged with second and third degree sexual abuse. An investigation revealed that a minor child connected to the fire was as a victim and sole witness in a sexual abuse criminal case against Exline and Noah Exline. Thompson is the step-son of James Exline and step-brother to Noah Exline, who was a brother to 12-year-old Melanie “Paige” Exline who was killed in the fire. The investigation into the blaze that killed her and 16-year-old Shakiah Cockerham and injured their grandmother, 74-year-old Shirley Exline and uncle, 54-year-old William Long, III is still ongoing. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, State Fire Marshal’s Office, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson, Ames and Nevada Police Departments and Iowa State Patrol. Anyone with information regarding that investigation is asked to contact the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office at 641-747-2214.
