Oct 24, 2002 By Jennifer Harr 3 min read

A Uniontown man faces a criminal homicide charge for allegedly setting a fire that killed Curtis Solomon Long on Dec, 23, 2000. Dwayne Michael Hall, 27, was arrested by state police criminal investigator James B. Custer Tuesday night. Custer, in his capacity as a fire marshall, was called to Long’s 445 School St. home in Luzerne Township to investigate.

He initially ruled the fire’s origin could not be determined, but said he received information from different sources that Hall set the blaze.

One of those sources, Brian Moats, was with Hall when he allegedly set the fire, according to police.

The arrest affidavit alleges that Hall, angry at Long’s girlfriend over an alleged theft, called Moats in West Virginia to come to his home. When Moats, accompanied by Timothy Maxon, arrived, police allege Hall poured gasoline into a plastic spray bottle and left his home for Long’s residence.

Stefan Cooper drove them to Long’s home, said police.

There, police allege Hall used the gasoline to set Long’s home on fire. Moats, who was with him, told police he watched Hall start the blaze at the rear of Long’s home.

The four eventually returned to Long’s home, and Cooper told police he heard fire sirens a short time later.

Several days after the fire, police said that 38-year-old Long died of smoke inhalation in the basement. The 2 a.m. fire collapsed the home, and by the time fire personnel arrived at 2:11 a.m., the house was already 75 percent engulfed in flames.

Coroner Dr. Phillip Reilly said after the fire that Long died of carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation. Long’s death was never the subject of an inquest because police were investigating the death as suspicious, said an office spokesperson.

After the fire, members of the state police Cold Case Squad continued investigating the fire, said Cpl. Beverly Ashton. Both she and Custer are members of the squad. The squad is comprised of members of Troop B, a five-barrack area that includes Uniontown. Lt. Richard Sethman, head of the Troop B crime section, heads the squad.

Ashton said that although Moats, Maxon and Cooper were with Hall when the fire was set there were no charges planned against those three “as of this moment.” Ashton said any such decision would be made by District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon, who did not return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday.

Before Hall was arrested, Custer said that police examined his phone logs, which showed a call he made to Moats in West Virginia.

Hall was arrested outside his home, said Ashton, and went with police without incident. In addition to criminal homicide, Hall was also charged with arson.

Police said Hall was arraigned before duty District Justice Randy Abraham around midnight. Because Hall is charged with homicide, no bond was set and he is lodged in the county’s prison. To get bond, Hall will have to petition the court.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30 before District Justice Herb Mitchell.