In the early morning hours of Friday, July 20, 2018, a large fire broke out at the iconic village apartments.
The blaze, which was later determined to be set intentionally, killed five — Haley Frizzell, 19, Dru Estes, 20, David Angel Ortiz, 21, Belinda Moats, 21 and James Phillip Miranda, 23 — while injuring seven others and displacing approximately 200 residents.
Monday marked two years since the deadliest fire in San Marcos history.
Authorities are still searching for the person(s) responsible for setting the inferno.
On Aug. 2, 2019, San Marcos Fire Marshal Kelly Kistner announced that the reward for finding the person, or persons, responsible for the Iconic Village fire has increased to $110,000.
Kistner said the increase in the reward is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive, City of San Marcos, San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce, the families of Frizzell and Ortiz, and an anonymous donor from within the San Marcos business community.
“We have never stopped on this investigation and we will never stop,” Kistner said nearly a year ago. “We will continue to find the answers and that is because we will not forget Haley Frizzell of San Angelo, Dru Estes of San Antonio, Belinda Moats of Big Wells, James Miranda of Mount Pleasant, and we will never forget Zach Satterfield, who's currently in San Antonio and is making an amazing recovery and as an inspiration to all of us every day. So with Dru, Melinda, Haley, David, James, Zach, and all of the others who were injured, along with their families, and this community, we will see this through the end.”
Officials originally set the reward at $10,000 in November 2018. ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mike Weddell said investigators are hopeful the substantial reward increase will help move the investigation forward.
“This money would be available to an individual or individuals who provide information that leads to the identification, or the arrest of an individual to help move this forward,” Weddell said. “I just want to say that at this time, we are one phone call away from having this investigation solved or moved forward.”
Kistner said ATF and the City of San Marcos each donated $25,000. The victims' families, including the Frizzell and Ortiz family donated $10,000, the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce donated $10,000 and an anonymous donor gave $40,000.
“(These donations say) this community comes together, this community is one,” Kistner said. “Everybody in the community, somewhat, was impacted and they want an answer to what happened. It’s amazing that the community has stepped up the way that they have.”
Investigators have pleaded for someone to come forward with information regarding the fire.
“You’re 100% a coward if you set the fire and you haven't come forward,” Kistner said on Aug. 2, 2019. “You’ve taken the lives of five individuals, you’ve affected their families, you’ve affected the victims. So, what I would tell you is that if you did this it’s time to grow up. It’s time to take responsibility and come forward. If you don’t want to come to us, there’s people who are going to take us to you and we’re going to get you one way or the other.”
Anyone with any information is asked to call 888-ATF-TIPS (283-8477). The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a reward up to $110,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the person, or persons, involved in the crime.
Daily Record coverage:
Friday, July 20, 2018: Six Injured, At Least 200 Affected In Apartment Fire
Friday, July 20, 2018: Six Injured, Five Remain Unaccounted For After Fire
Sunday, July 22, 2018: At Least 3 Deceased, 6 Hurt, 200 Displaced, 1 Missing
Thursday, July 26, 2018: Four Victims Of Fire Identified
Thursday, July 26, 2018: Search Mission Ends, Some Residents Allowed Back
Tuesday, July 31, 2018: On-Scene Portion Of Fire Investigation Concludes
Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018: ATF Leaves Town, Fire Probe Shifts
Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018: Fifth And Final Victim From Iconic Village Now Identified
Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2018: Four Plaintiffs Join Iconic Village Fire Lawsuit
Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018: Lawsuit Details Revealed
Sunday, Aug. 22, 2018: Family Of Iconic Village Burn Victim Files Lawsuit
Friday, November, 19, 2018: Fire That Killed Five At Iconic Village Was 'Incendiary'
Monday, December 17, 2018: 5 Deaths From Iconic Village Fire Ruled Homicides
Jan. 20, 2019: Apartments To Be Rebuilt Where Fatal Fire Occurred
Saturday, July 20, 2019: Sutterfields, Victims’ Families Seek Justice
Saturday, July 20, 2019: San Marcos Firefighters, Dispatch Recall Iconic Village Fire Response
Saturday, July 20, 2019: Iconic Village Fire Influences Code, Department Changes
Friday, Aug. 2, 2019: Reward Increased To $110,000 In Iconic Village Fire Case
- July 20, 2018 - The fire begins at about 4:30 a.m. at Iconic Village, with the initial call coming in at 4:27 a.m. The flames engulf Building 500 before spreading to Building 300.
- July 20, 2018 - U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and National Response Team (NRT) arrive on the scene to help investigate alongside local authorities.
- July 20, 2018 - The San Marcos Activity Center is established as a shelter for the 200 people displaced by the fire at Iconic Village Apartments and Vintage Pads Apartments.
- July 20, 2018 - According to city officials, six people were injured; one person, later identified as Zachary Sutterfield, suffered critical injuries in the fire and was transported to Brooke Army Medical Center; five sustained non-life-threatening injuries and five are unaccounted for.
- July 22, 2018 - As of 1:30 p.m., fire investigators recover three bodies from the scene of the fire in the 500 building of Iconic Village.
- July 23, 2018 - As of 10:30 a.m., a fourth victim is recovered..
- July 23, 2018 - The fifth and final victim’s remains are found in the afternoon.
- July 23, 2018 - Firefighters clear Building L of Vintage Pads and turn their efforts to Building 300 in Iconic Village. No more bodies are recovered from the scene.
- July 24, 2018 - City opens resource center at the San Marcos Activity Center for those displaced by the fire.
- July 25, 2018 - Residents of apartments that were undamaged at the two complexes are allowed back into their homes.
- July 26, 2018 - The remains of 19-year-old Haley Frizzell, 21-year-old Dru Estes, 21-year-old David Ortiz and 23-year-old James Miranda — all in building 500 of the complex — are identified.
- July 30, 2018 - Phillip Miranda, the father of James Miranda, files a lawsuit against the managers for gross negligence, premises liability, and wrongful death.
- July 31, 2018 - The San Marcos Fire Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); San Marcos Fire Marshal; San Marcos Police Department; and State Fire Marshal’s Office complete the on-scene portion of the investigation.
- Aug. 3, 2018 - The fifth victim of the deadly fire at Iconic Village Apartments, 21-year-old Belinda Moats of Big Wells who was also in building 500, is identified.
- Aug. 6, 2018 - Iconic Village residents Benjamin Munoz, Abril Cardenas, Christina Martinez and Pablo Torres — who all survived, but were injured attempting to escape the fire — join suit against apartment owners San Marcos Green Investors and managers Elevate Multifamily and Deborah Jones filed by Phillip Miranda, father of James Miranda.
- Aug. 16, 2018 - Karl and Deona Jo Sutterfield, parents of Zachary Sutterfield who was severely injured during the fire, file a case naming San Marcos Green Investors, LLC; Elevate Multifamily, LLC; and apartment manager Deborah Jones as defendants.
- Nov. 30, 2018 - Officials announce during a press conference that the deadly apartment fire was caused by an “intentional human act” and offer up to $10,000 for information from the public.
- Dec. 1, 2018 - In all, there are four civil lawsuits filed in district court in Travis County against the complex owners, San Marcos Green Investors, and managers. The parents of all the deceased residents, Sutterfield’s parents, and several residents have either filed or joined other lawsuits; there are more than 23 plaintiffs suing the complex owners and managers.
- Dec. 17, 2018 - The five deaths resulting from the Iconic Village apartment fire are ruled homicides.
- Jan. 17, 2019 - City’s Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals votes to reinstate “certain non-conforming aspects of the properties” at Iconic Village Apartments and Vintage Pads, giving owners go-ahead to rebuild the structures damaged in the deadly 2018 fire, but with current fire safety and building codes.
- April 2, 2019 - The San Marcos City Council holds work session with presentation on local fire code amendments to the 2015 International Fire Code.
- April 16, 2019 - The San Marcos City Council approves the first reading of the new fire code.
- May 7, 2019 - The San Marcos City Council approves the second and final reading of the new fire code.
- July 21, 2019 - The investigation into the Iconic Village fire remains open.
