Zachary Worstell
zdw001@marietta.edu
Nearly two years ago, the Alpha Xi Delta Sorority House located on 322 Fifth St. in Marietta, caught fire due to an unknown cause. It was stated that the Ohio State Fire Marshall’s office as well as the Marietta Police Department would investigate the cause. It had recently been announced that the investigation has ended as a Marietta man charged with three counts of arson was indicted by the Washington County Grand Jury.
Austin Garrett Jones, 26, was indicted on a second-degree felony count of aggravated arson and two fourth-degree felony counts of arson for the aforementioned November 2021 house fire. Jones was an early suspect in the investigation however Marietta Police Detective Derek Tewanger stated that in “cases like these are not something we rush.”
Digitial forensic evidence and surveillance footage were used to secure the indictment and later to issue a warrant for his arrest. The warrant was made for the sorority house fire as well as two other separate incidents on the same day. He was charged with two fourth-degree felony counts of arson for fires set in wooded areas earlier in the evening.
The sorority house is a historical site built in the early 1800s for Sheriff W.P. Skinner and later purchased by oilman George White in 1902. White would go on to be the governor of Ohio from 1931-1935 as well as serve on the House of Representatives. During his term as governor, he created the Ohio State Highway Patrol. In 1936, White was also credited with recruiting sculptor Gutzon Borglum to create the National Start Westward Memorial of the United States located in Muskingum Park.
After White’s death in 1953, the Alpha Xi Delta Sorority bought the house. They have since maintained it as a working residence.
The Alpha Xi Delta Sorority has stated that, “Our home was much more than just a place to sleep it was a place all of us could call home.” They currently reside on the 3rd floor of North McCoy while the George White House is being rebuilt.
