Warren County, OH – On June 18, 2019 Warren County Prosecutor’s Office dismissed charges against Timothy Hartwig.  Hartwig was indicted in August of 2018 on one count of aggravated arson and two counts of child endangering; accused of setting fire to his home in Hamilton Township.

Counsel for Hartwig utilized the expertise of FEC Investigators Mark Schockman and Scott Bennett which proved to be a deciding factor in the dismissal of charges.  Coupled with Professional Engineer Scott Jones and Metallurgist Dr. Brian Joyce, Schockman and Bennett disproved the origin and cause hypotheses formulated by the State’s experts.

FEC is very proud of the work done by Schockman and Bennett.  Further, FEC is committed to following the scientific method, NFPA 1033 and NFPA 921 in order to avoid anyone, in this case Timothy Hartwig, from wrongful prosecutions.

NFPA 1033 and 921 provide paramount prescriptions in fire investigation; regularly updated with new practices and scientific studies and formulated by a consensus of practitioners, attorneys, and academia.  All people involved in any part of a fire investigation must recognize the importance of these works and question any aberration to ensure the end result is justified.  Mr. Timothy Hartwig faced a tumultuous year but demonstrated absolute resolve and patience.  With the guidance and expertise of Schockman, Bennett, Jones and Dr. Joyce, the truth surfaced.  “The Truth is Within the Ashes!”

Press Release: https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/crime–law/warren-county-man-cleared-home-arson-case/23QgqMybJZnaC8IpWH9MHK/