A Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden and a Fond du Lac County Detective have been honored for their work to apprehend a serial arsonist.
Bill Hankee with the DNR and Detective Harold Hettrick have received the Investigative Excellence Award after a multi-year investigation regarding repeated arson in the Kettle Moraine State Forest area.
The two discovered that someone or multiple people were deliberately setting fire to public lands over an extensive period of time.
Their extensive investigation ultimately led to the arrest of the individual responsible for setting the fires, and the serial arsonist has since been convicted.
Following their arrest, the individual confessed to authorities that they had been lighting wildland or grass fires in various locations for approximately 20 years.
