Indiana Teen Charged With Starting Fire That Killed His Adoptive Father

A 16-year-old Indiana boy charged with killing his adoptive father pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday. Police arrested Jordan Marin-Doan on Saturday, two days after his adoptive father, Jason Doan, died in a house fire.

Marin-Doan was charged with murder, arson and automobile theft. He pleaded not guilty to all charges, Indianapolis CW-affiliate WISH-TV reported Tuesday.

Alan Marin, Doan’s husband, said the family woke up to a fire blocking their exit. Doan, 45, helped his two other adopted children escape through the window before he died from smoke inhalation. According to reports from fire investigators, the probable cause of the fire was fuel used in weed eaters being poured on stairwell carpet in the house.

Court documents said Marin-Doan started the fire while the family was asleep. He reportedly admitted to authorities that he poured the fuel before igniting the fire with a lighter. He told authorities that after he used the lighter, he became frightened, regretted his actions and escaped in the family’s Jeep. Authorities later found Marin-Doan in a hotel parking lot in Decatur, Indiana.

The teen’s reported motive for starting the fire was “so he could get a cell next to his biological father in prison,” Marin said. Officials said he had also previously threatened to kill everyone in the home.

Marin said her husband sacrificed himself to save his family’s life. He helped their other two children, aged 11 months and 10 years, out of the house. The family told Indianapolis Fox-affiliate WXIN that if Doan had survived, he would have forgiven the teen for setting the house on fire.

“That’s how big his heart is,” Marin said. “He could forgive him and take him back into his home and continue raising him.”

Marin-Doan was jailed after his hearing. He is scheduled to next appear in court Jan. 3, with his trial set to begin Jan. 8.