Melbourne police charge man with setting 2023 house fire that killed homeless person

A 43-year-old man who Melbourne police suspect set a house fire that left a homeless person with fatal burns in 2023 has been arrested in Volusia County.

Theodore Noe was charged with first-degree murder and arson of a dwelling after a lengthy investigation into the Nov. 15, 2023, death of David Herles, Melbourne police report. Herles had been found with severe burns after Melbourne Fire Department crews were called to a home in the 1800 block of Guava Avenue. Herles died later that day at the Orlando Regional Medical Center burn center.

“Noe is currently held without bond and pending extradition. We’re waiting to bring him back on extradition,” said Sgt. Ben Slover of the Melbourne Police Department.

Detectives, along with state arson investigators, worked to determine the cause of the blaze and learned that Noe and Herles had been living on the porch. Both were given permission to use the back porch as a temporary shelter since both were homeless, police reported.

It was not immediately known if there were other injuries inflicted before the fire or what a potential motive might have been. In April, detectives sought an arrest warrant for Noe. Port Orange Police located Noe working in the city and took him into custody without incident.

Noe was detained on a no bond status at the Volusia County Jail Monday. He is expected to extradited back to Brevard County for a first appearance.

J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com . X, formerly known as Twitter: @JDGallop.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Melbourne police charge man with setting 2023 house fire that killed homeless person