Police: Man claims “voices” led him to firebomb Batesville Crisis Center

A Batesville man was arrested Monday after authorities said he admitted to throwing homemade firebombs at the Batesville Crisis Center because he believed the building was “talking to him.”

Manfredo Santizo-Lopez, 37, faces charges in Independence County Circuit Court following a series of arson attempts at the facility located across the street from his residence. He is being held on a $30,000 bond.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the Batesville Fire Department responded to a grass fire at the center on April 15. Investigators discovered several unexploded “Molotov cocktails”—including glass Mexican Coke bottles and cleaning containers stuffed with paper towel wicks—strewn around the property.

Security footage from nearby businesses allegedly showed a suspect standing near a carport at 2055 Byers St., throwing a lit device at the center. Police noted that a similar attack occurred on April 4, where a device was burned against the building for 10 minutes.

During a police interview Monday, Santizo-Lopez reportedly admitted to “throwing the fire.” He told investigators that since 2014, he believed people at the center were using speakers to aggravate and spy on him.

“Manfredo stated that he didn’t do it to hurt anyone, but he did it to get them to stop,” Investigator Shane Hightower wrote in the affidavit.

Records show Santizo-Lopez was a suspect in a 2023 vandalism case involving the same building. At that time, a relative told police he believed people were spying on him from the facility.

Total damages to the center’s siding and windows are estimated at $4,362. Investigators have seized Santizo-Lopez’s cellphone and fingerprints for further analysis at the Arkansas State Crime Lab. He has been charged with two counts of felony arson.

Manfredo Santizo-Lopez (Image via the Independence County Sheriff’s Office)