'Let it burn': New Mexico arson suspect allegedly angry at father for not giving him a job

Bethany Brunelle-Raja
Las Cruces Sun-News

ORGAN - An Organ man facing arson charges may have been angry at his father for not giving him a job, court documents state. 

Also, a neighbor said she heard the man yelling "let it burn" as a fire ravaged a trailer home Friday evening in the 15000 block of Padre La Rue Street in Organ.

Ivan Gamboa-Soto, 28, was arrested and booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center at 1:41 a.m. on Saturday, and is facing one felony count of arson and negligent arson over $1,000. 

The incident

Gamboa-Soto told investigators he was smoking a cigarette in his front yard Friday. He said he threw a lit cigarette and matches into a black trash can as he was headed back inside the trainer.

When he noticed the trash can ablaze, Gamboa-Soto filled a bucket with water and poured it onto the trash can in an attempt to extinguish the fire, court documents state. 

Ivan Gamboa-Soto

By then, the trash can had somewhat melted. Gamboa-Soto told investigators that he brought it to the back yard, so no one could see it. There, the trash can again caught fire. 

Gamboa-Soto told investigators that he attempted to extinguish the back-yard fire by stomping on it. But the fire soon spread to a fence and tool shed, court documents state.

And soon, Gamboa-Soto's trailer was on fire. 

A neighbor, who came outside when she saw the trailer ablaze, told investigators she heard Gamboa-Soto yell, "let it burn," before fire personnel arrived on scene at 7:26 p.m. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.

The aftermath 

The fence and tool shed were completely destroyed in the fire and the trailer home sustained heavy damages throughout, court documents state. The fire caused about $47,000 in damages.  

As Gamboa-Soto was being treated for injuries sustained during the fire at MountainView Regional Medical Center, his father arrived and told investigators that his son had threatened him earlier that day.

Fire crews work to extinguish a trailer fire in the 15000 block of Padre La Rue Street, Friday June 7, 2019.

Gamboa-Soto's father, who owns the trailer, said his son was upset that he didn't give him a job, and told investigators he wanted to press charges.

Bethany Freudenthal can be reached at bbrunellef@lcsun-news.com, 575-541-5449 or @bethanyfreuden1 on Twitter. 

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