Suspected arsonist wanted after causing bar and grill explosion in northeast Harris County

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A man has reportedly admitted to law enforcement that he set fire to a restaurant when the owner refused to sell it to him. Now, the suspected arsonist is wanted after not showing up to his court date.

In the early morning hours of Nov. 11, 2022, a fire shook the ground and businesses near West Lake Houston and Will Clayton parkways in Humble. The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office responded that day.

ORGINAL STORY: Fire intentionally set at Tewbeleaux's restaurant in Atascocita, officials say

"The damage, you see out here, everything has been forced out to the front. We wouldn't necessarily call it an explosion, but a rapid fire that had a lot of force behind it," James Singleton with HCFMO said back in November.

Now, new court documents say the fire was set intentionally. They tell ABC13 a man named Dewey Strasburg approached the owner of Tewbeleaux's restaurant wanting to buy it, but was told no.

Investigators said Strasburg came back the morning of Nov. 11, placing five-gallon gas cans around the building, and starting two fires. The fire ignited quickly. The fire's damage blew the front and back doors off, walls came off the foundation, and nearby businesses were shut down for days.

"There was stuff knocked off our shelves from the shockwave," owner of Lake Houston Pool Supply, Corey Templeton, said.

The court documents go on to say key evidence was left behind by Strasburg tying him to the scene. Investigators said in his haste to get away from the scene, he forgot his phone, credit card, driver's license, and a $100 bill.

ABC13 was told Strasburg admitted to setting the fire, but never showed up to his court appearance. Now, a warrant is out for his arrest.

"You're taking away from somebody who's worked their lives and tried to create, and somebody thinks they have the right to just come and take it from them," Templeton said.

ABC13 wanted to talk to the restaurant owner, Peter Tignini. Eyewitness News called Tewbeleaux's second restaurant location in Spring, but the employee told ABC13 that Tignini may be tied up for a while and to Google him. ABC13 found a Department of Justice article naming Tignini in a tax fraud case. It goes on to say he evaded more than $1 million in taxes and falsified documents and is now facing up to five years in prison.

"Just that spot has a curse to it. As long as we have been here, nothing has worked out in that space," Templeton said.

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