A firefighter is picture at the scene of a fire on Second Street in Kennedy from July, 2022. Two homes were destroyed in the blaze. P-J file photo

MAYVILLE – A Randolph man has been found guilty of arson that destroyed multiple buildings and killed animals in the southern end of the county.

According to District Attorney Jason Schmidt, on Thursday a Chautauqua County jury convicted Aubrey Baize, 29, of intentionally setting a fire that destroyed a house in Kennedy. The fire ultimately destroyed a house next door and caused damage to nearby homes as well. In addition to losing their homes, memorable family items, and valuable property, both homeowners lost their beloved pets.

The defendant was remanded to the jail by Hon. David W. Foley after the jury verdict. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Andrew Molitor and Alex Scherer, together with Paralegal Abigail Yerico.

“I would like to thank the Jury for their hard work and deliberation in rendering this verdict. They deserve to be commended for paying close attention to the evidence and applying that evidence to the law. Our community should know that the District Attorney’s office will never stop fighting to achieve justice,” Molitor said.

Although Baize was charged with setting fire to the victims’ homes, Schmidt said he has not been held on bail for most of the time since his arrest. He will not be released pending sentence.

“Even though recent New York laws are making our communities less safe, our police departments continue to work hard to uncover evidence and make arrests and our office works hard to achieve justice in the courtroom,” stated Schmidt. “I would like to thank the New York State Police and the attorneys and staff in my office who have worked so hard to see that justice was done.”

In 2022, Keith Bean, Kennedy fire chief, said the flames, difficulty in establishing a water supply, high temperatures and the wind made for “a bad combination” in firefighting efforts. Firefighters returned twice afterward after receiving reports that the smoldering debris had rekindled.