CATAHOULA PARISH (December 21, 2020)- The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFM) has arrested a transient man for setting three homes on fire over the past year and a half. Rischard Farris, 39, was booked into the Catahoula Parish Jail on three counts each of Simple Arson and Criminal Trespass.In the early morning hours of December 14, the Jonesville Fire Department requested the assistance of the SFM to determine the origin and cause of a mobile home fire located in the 1700 block of Cora Drive. Following an assessment of the scene, SFM deputies determined the fire was intentionally set. Investigators learned from the fire department that the circumstances of the case were similar to two previous fires they worked in the area several months prior. One was at a home in the 600 block of Front Street on August 21, 2019 and the other was in the 800 block of Mound Street on August 27, 2020. Deputies also learned in the Cora Drive and Front Street cases that Farris had been seen going in and out of the homes on multiple occasions including just prior to the fires. Objects identified as belonging to Farris were also located at each of the scenes. On December 16th, the Catahoula Sheriff’s Office took Farris into custody for an unrelated case. In an interview with deputies, Farris admitted to being either in the area of or physically inside of the homes around the times the fires at each of them occurred. Arrest warrants in all of the cases were then obtained and Farris was booked on those charges.