Even though it was 2:00 am, the temperature still hovered near 100 degrees when Bonnie Cantrell pulled into the parking lot of her employer Bowen Heating and Cooling located in Phoenix, AZ. Bonnie had been an attractive, bright, personable 32-year-old woman starting a new life after her battle with drug and alcohol addiction.  Months earlier, her addictions had returned to claim her again. Addicted to crystal methamphetamine Bonnie had rapidly descended into hell this time. It wouldn't be long before her employers, Mr. and Mrs. Bowen would find out that she had been embezzling money by forging company checks to get money to support her habit. They had already expressed concern over her recent weight loss and strange behavior. She wouldn't be able to go undetected much longer. They would be very hurt and angry after treating her like a daughter, only to find out she had embezzled many thousands of dollars from them. She would surely be looking at jail time. Bonnie cried as she splashed gasoline throughout the office with a trailer to the door before lighting the end outside and racing off in her car.

The fire was obviously arson.  Fire investigators carefully documented burn patterns including the liquid pour patterns on the floor and outside. The problem was there were no witnesses, no gasoline container with fingerprints, and no known suspects such as a disgruntled ex-employee or customer. Mr. and Mrs. Bowen did not think their full-time bookkeeper, now unemployed due to the fire, would have any reason to start the fire. Bonnie was interviewed and tearfully told the investigators how good her employer had been to her and how badly she felt for them, but thank God they had insurance. Yes, they had insurance, but not nearly enough. Also, the year it would take to rebuild and start over would result in the loss of many of their customers who would have to go elsewhere. The mere loss of presence in the area would be a formidable hurdle. After much thought, The Bowens decided it was better to walk away from the business they spent 20 years of hard work building and move on.

Just over a year after the fire, the Bowen's insurance company received a call from an anonymous man who would only identify himself as "Don." He said he knew who started the fire that destroyed Bowen Heating and Cooling company. He would not provide his last name, but did provide a phone number where he could be reached. "Don" stated that Bonnie had started the fire to conceal her forgery and theft from the business. The caller gave an address in a rural area far west of Phoenix where he said Ms. Cantrell was now living. "Don" stated he did not want to speak to authorities and was just trying to do the right thing.

Rust Investigations Inc. was hired to attempt to identify the informant and determine if sufficient evidence could be obtained to allow prosecution as well as verify Ms. Cantrell's whereabouts so authorities could handle the criminal investigation. Mrs. Bowen was contacted to gather as much information and background as possible about Bonnie. The Bowen's had now learned of the theft, but decided not to pursue Ms. Cantrell. Mrs. Bowen was as heartbroken as if her own daughter had betrayed her. She did her best to help, but asked not to be updated until the case was completed. It was just too painful for her to relive.

Surveillance in the small town of Weldon, Arizona verified that Bonnie was living in the small residence at the address given by the caller. Due to the information given and the manner and tone of the conversation, it was likely the caller was related to Ms. Cantrell. Now it was time to call "Don" and see if he would agree to assist in the investigation or had additional information which could be corroborated. After several long phone conversations, Don finally agreed to help.  Don and his wife were in fact related to Bonnie and actually lived right next door to her in Weldon. Bonnie had spilled the beans about the fire after she had been drinking recently. Don was shocked that the young lady he had known all her life was capable of such an act. He was also afraid of Bonnie. She had begun to associate with bikers and drug users. If she found out who turned her in, Don and his wife might have to literally run for their lives. Over the course of several long meetings, Don and his wife provided a great deal of detail they had learned from Bonnie. They were even able to identify the location of the pry bar used to force entry into the business which Bonnie still had behind her residence. Based on the interviews, authorities obtained a search warrant and seized critical evidence. Tool marks photographed at the scene matched the pry bar found at Bonnie’s home. Bonnie confessed to the forgery, but denied her involvement in the arson, instead blaming her ex-boyfriend.

Bonnie did learn the identity of her informants forcing them to relocate to another state. So concerned for their safety, they would only share the location with Phil Rust, whom they had grown to literally trust with their lives. They would only communicate through Phil. They had decided on their own to cooperate with the prosecution even if it meant facing Bonnie in court. They found the courage to do the right thing regardless of the risks. Fortunately, they did not have to return for trial. Bonnie pled guilty and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She never learned the location of the informants. At Phil's urging, authorities eventually approved a monetary award for Don and his wife through the "Arson Reward Fund." Phil then personally traveled to their new home and delivered the reward. Hopefully, Mr. and Mrs. Bowen healed somewhat from their loss in seeing justice done as well as the courage and character exhibited by the informants. Perhaps, one day, Bonnie will make amends to them if she is able to find recovery. 

Written by Philip Rust III
Copyright June 2009