Docs: Winchester man intentionally set fire to home due to stress caused by debt, work

WINCHESTER, Ind. — A Winchester man has been charged with arson after he reportedly set fire to his home because of stress caused by credit card debt and work.

According to court documents recently filed in Randolph County, Travis Clark was charged with one count of arson, a Level 4 felony. The documents stated a $1,000 cash bond was posted in Randolph County on Oct. 29.

On Oct. 27, a man later identified as Clark reportedly came to the Winchester Police Department “wanting to confess to a crime.”

The documents state that Clark reportedly told officers that he started a fire in his home, located in the 300 block of N East Street, in late September. Clark said that he reportedly started the fire in his laundry room “just before he left for work that morning.”

“He was stressed and pissed off that he was in debt with credit cards,” the documents said.

Clark reportedly told officers that there was a fire three years ago that the insurance company did not really investigate. The documents said that Clark wanted the insurance company to offer a buyout for this fire so he could be caught up on credit card debt and “start new.”

As the insurance company reportedly investigated the most recent fire, Clark was reportedly asked for his cell phone. Clark told law enforcement that he reportedly searched on his phone “how to start a fire” with his cell phone.

“The male said that after the insurance adjuster visited, he took a butane lighter and torched the wire even more to make it look more convincing for insurance costs,” the documents said.

When the department reached out to fire investigators, officials said in the documents that they had suspicions during the investigation into the incident.

In a written statement included in the court documents, Clark reportedly said that he “snapped” due to stress from work and the credit card debts “piling up.”

According to court documents, Clark’s pretrial conference is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026, and his jury trial is scheduled for April 8, 2026.