Arsonist: it was “his duty to God…”

Steven William Turner, 29, was taken into custody shortly after a citizen called the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office about 12:45 a.m. Thursday to report large fires burning on the east side of the lake, just south of the small community of Silver Lakes Estates.

Show Low’s Fire and Police departments responded to the call. Firefighters quickly put out the fire and police held Turner for sheriff’s deputies.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Turner said he started the fires because it was “his duty to God…” Police said biblical literature was found in the area.

At the time of the fires, the wind was blowing toward the northeast with gusts to 33 mph and Navajo County was under a red flag warning and fire restrictions.