A 36-year-old man from Fort Wayne, Indiana, is facing a Level 4 felony arson charge after police say he cut off his own penis and set it on fire. Christopher Peden was arrested following an incident on May 6, according to court documents obtained by Fox 59.
The Fort Wayne Fire Department responded to a garage fire that day, while police simultaneously investigated a reported stabbing. The garage owners told authorities a neighbor alerted them to the fire, and they realized a family member, Christopher Peden, was missing.
Initial Claims and Admission
Police found Peden as a stabbing victim. Initially, he claimed he had been stabbed in downtown Fort Wayne and threatened the day before. However, during later interviews, Peden admitted he was "dishonest" about the stabbing and "wanted to be truthful," according to the affidavit cited by Fox 59.
Peden then confessed that he went to the garage and "harmed himself" by "cutting off his penis" with a kitchen knife. He said he poured gasoline on his severed genitalia and "set it on fire on the floor of the garage just inside the door." After the self-mutilation, Peden walked away until encountering police.
Evidence and Charges
Investigators collected evidence from the garage, including a red plastic gas container, four lighters, and a kitchen knife. Court records did not reveal whether the severed genitals were located, according to 21 Alive News. Peden was charged with arson, a Level 4 felony. He is scheduled for a court hearing next week.
