Fire may have began over cats dispute

Editor’s note: this story has been updated with information provided by the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office.

VW independent staff

DIXON — A few more details have been released about last week’s fatal fire on the Ohio side of Dixon.

Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas M. Riggenbach said shots were fired into a neighboring home in the 3500 block of Ohio Indiana State Line Road shortly before a 911 call that was placed at 10:27 a.m. last Tuesday, February 24. According to further information provided Thursday afternoon by Jarrod Clay, Public Information Officer for the State Marshal’s Office, the fire was discovered by the next door neighbor, an adult male, when several bullets were shot through his house. After hearing and seeing the gunfire, he looked out the window and saw his neighbor’s house on fire and called 911. The neighbor suffered minor injuries – it appeared he was injured from glass fragments from when bullets went through his window, Clay stated.

Riggenbach said a dispute over cats apparently led to the incident.

“We received information on scene there were issues between the residents over Mr. (Jeffrey) Gillespie’s cats,” Sheriff Riggenbach said. “We had not responded to a call for service between them since January, 2025.”

After firing the shots, Gillespie, 67, apparently set fire to his own home before taking his life.

Deputies and Convoy Fire & EMS were the first to arrive at the scene and Gillespie’s home was engulfed in flames, Payne Fire & EMS, the Monroeville, Indiana Fire Department and Van Wert Fire Department were summoned for tankers and manpower. Clay said when firefighters arrived at the scene, the fire was fully involved, extending from the doors, windows and roof. The fire department was unable to enter the house and the structure was a total loss.

A nearby vehicle also caught fire and was destroyed. Gillespie’s body was found in the remnants of the home. Riggenbach noted the Lucas County Coroner’s Office listed Gillespie’s manner of death as suicide, and Clay said the manner of death was determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A firearm was found near the body during excavation of the home.

Clay said the fire was classified as incendiary (arson).