Investigators Piecing Together Tuttle Home Invasion, Fire

By Adrianna Iwasinski, NEWS 9

TUTTLE, Oklahoma -- Agents with both the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the state Fire Marshall's Office are speaking with the couple involved in a weekend home invasion turned fire investigation in Tuttle.

Tuttle police released a 911 call from Saturday night.

DISPATCHER: "Tuttle 911 what's the address of your emergency?"

CALLER: "I'm at 1806 Riviera Drive. I have two people in my shop that are in handcuffs and they're saying their house was started on fire."

The home at 1801 Riviera Lane in Tuttle belongs to a Justin and Christina Neidel. In the background of the 911 call, the caller asks the Neidels what happened.

DISPATCHER: "OK they say their house is on fire?"

CALLER: "They started your house on fire?" "Yes!"

DISPATCHER: "Was it subjects that were...Hang on let me get some people en route to you real quick. Stay on the line with me. What's your phone number?"

Within minutes, the dispatcher contacts police and fire to get to the scene. But as dispatch calls for backup, the caller can be heard frantically trying to stop the couple from going back to save their dogs.

CALLER: "Wait! Wait! Wait! You're going to hurt yourself going back there! You cannot help."

OSBI spokesperson Stan Florence said limited information is being released right now, but he said Justin Neidel told investigators that he and his wife returned home from having dinner only to find three masked men inside their home. Neidel said the men were wearing black ski masks, black gloves, and black clothing. He also said one had a gun, another had handcuffs, and that two of the suspects spoke Spanish to each other.

Florence said Justin Neidel reportedly had a scuffle with one of the masked men, but was not injured.

The suspects reportedly handcuffed the couple to some dining room chairs and then set the home on fire with the couple inside. Florence said Justin Neidel was able to get loose by breaking his chair and then helped free his wife. The couple has three children who were reportedly staying with grandparents at the time so the couple could have a date night.

"Obviously there are a lot of questions. We're doing our best to find the truth as to what happened and who did this," Florence said.

Authorities have not released if anything was stolen from the home. The Neidels lost everything in the fire including their cars.

The OSBI is waiting on the Fire Marshall's preliminary report on where and how the fire was started.

The Neidel's family said both Justin and Christina work for the state. Justin Neidel works for the Department of Transportation as a manager. Grady County Property records showed the two bought the home in Tuttle in 2008.

More:

• Tuttle Couple Held Hostage, Home Set On Fire