COLUMBIA, Missouri – Stephen Martin Strumpf, 31, faces first-degree murder, arson, and fraudulent use of a credit card charges following a deadly fire in Columbia. The incident, which resulted in the death of Strumpf’s father, whose name remains undisclosed, occurred in the 3900 block of Deerfoot Way.
Columbia Fire Department crews responded to a significant structure fire at 12:01 a.m. on Friday. After extinguishing the blaze, firefighters discovered a deceased male in the garage. A police investigation revealed that the victim had been stabbed multiple times in the neck and then set ablaze.
Evidence gathered at the scene indicated the use of an accelerant in the fire, with a police dog alerting officers to its presence near the body. Further inquiries led to the victim’s girlfriend, who reported picking up Strumpf from the Kansas City Amtrak station days earlier. She also noted fraudulent charges on a credit card shared with the victim, leading investigators to surveillance footage from a local hotel where Strumpf was seen around 4 a.m. Friday.
Detectives also learned from neighbors that Strumpf was seen removing items from his father’s garage and loading them into a dark-colored sedan hours before the fire. This observation proved crucial in establishing a timeline for the events leading up to the fire.
Strumpf was apprehended in a blue Toyota Corolla shortly before midnight. During the arrest, he indicated the presence of a knife in the vehicle, which police confirmed had suspected blood residues. Items belonging to the victim, including his driver’s license and credit card, were also recovered from Strumpf’s possession.
