Charges expected for 2 adults, 2 juveniles in Kimball Castle fire investigation

Two adults and two juveniles are expected to be charged in connection with last summer’s fire at Kimball Castle, following nearly 10 months of suspect interviews, search warrants, and following up on tips from the public.

Gilford Police Deputy Chief Dustin Parent has been sharing updates from the investigation, which is being conducted by the state Fire Marshal’s Office. On Friday morning, he said that the investigator in charge at the Fire Marshal’s Office informed him of the impending charges, but had no further details. He expects more information to be released in the next couple weeks.

Despite having no electricity and being vacant, the castle caught fire just before 4 a.m. on Aug. 27, and the landmark at 59 Lockes Hill Road was completely destroyed. Fire Chief Stephen Carrier said after the fire, the remaining structure was a safety hazard, and the floors, ceiling and roof of the mostly stone structure had all collapsed.

The castle is located in an area where one side is completely wooded, and the drought conditions of last summer caused the area to be exceptionally dry.

Investigators think embers caused a brush fire that went all the way to Lake Shore Road near the scenic overlook and the entrance to Lockes Hill Trail. Firefighters battled flames and sprayed down hot spots for hours after the castle fire was under control. Charred areas were visible just off Lake Shore Road, and part of the road was closed as firefighters worked on curbing the spread.

The fire is believed to have originated at the castle, and then embers caused the woods to catch fire.

Two other buildings on the property were unaffected by the blaze. Throughout the day, Gilford Police and the Fire Marshal’s Office investigators were surveying the area. Officers called the fire suspicious, as the structure had long been unoccupied, and there was no power source.

While there are signs noticing Kimball Castle as private property, officers at the scene said there have been trespassers over the years.

Gilford Police put out a call to the public for information, including a request for surveillance footage, and responded to a variety of leads. They asked for videos and photographs from trail cameras, cellphones and home surveillance cameras.

In October, Parent said the Fire Marshal’s Office was submitting search warrants, and investigators identified four suspects for interviews. Parent said the Fire Marshal’s Office received a tip pertinent to the case, and applied for a search warrant for various electronic devices.

He also made clear there were no arrest warrants, and the hope was the search warrants would further the investigation. Parent did not have information about who was interviewed.

Investigators from the Fire Marshal’s Office told Parent on April 21, that the “investigation is basically done,” and on May 12, that an investigator was “finishing the criminal report.”

Kimball Castle was built by an architect hired by politician and railroad magnate Benjamin Ames Kimball, who was not only a state representative but also president of the Concord and Montreal Railroad.

After being inspired by Medieval German castles, he reportedly built the castle for $50,000. Kimball Castle is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Kimball died in 1920, and the property was willed to his daughter, Charlotte, who died in 1960, and left the land to the Mary Mitchell Humane Society. The castle went into disrepair over the years, and in 2018, was purchased by Patrick and Melissa Starkey under Lockes Hill LLC. They both declined to comment following the fire.