A man from Huntsville, Texas has been charged with felony arson in what appears to be a hate crime hoax. In June of 2023, the story of Mario Roberson’s home burning down hit local news. He gave several interviews and sat with local activists speaking about the blaze. He showed pictures of alleged racist graffiti scrawled on the house one month before the incident in question. There was also allegedly drama between Roberson and the HOA of the neighborhood over the issue of short-term rentals.
The fire did not just result in the destruction of property. Two people, including one of Mario Roberson’s relatives, lost their lives in the fire. One person escaped the house while on fire. The person who escaped managed to get into a truck and flee the scene before crashing into a ditch. Video of the crash scene has audio of the man saying they were called in town to do a “numbers job” on the home, which refers to insurance fraud.
Mario Roberson initially stated that issues of racism and money contributed to his home burning down. This may not have been a totally untrue statement, especially when Roberson’s record gets brought into the conversation. He has several prior lawsuits against him, all based on money. His track record comes off as a scammer, not necessarily a person motivated by gaining attention from racism nor does he have violent crime convictions. This may have been yet another cash grab, possibly involving a third party, that went totally wrong.
SOURCES:
Huntsville homeowner Mario Roberson, who alleged hate crime at his property, charged with arson after deadly fire at his home – ABC13 Houston
Texas man facing arson charges after claiming hate crime burned down his home
Alleged Hate Crime Victim in Texas Charged with Burning Down His Own House
Texas man who claimed to be victim of hate crime charged with arson
Alleged Hate Crime Victim in Texas Charged with Burning Down His Own House – Analyzing America
Calls for investigation after deadly fire in Huntsville – YouTube
