๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฒ: ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ
- Raw Pettis
- May 27
- 4 min read
๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ซ: ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฐ. ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐, ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐, ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ.
On May 22, 2026, officers with the Springfield Police Department responded to Immaculate Conception in Springfield, Missouri, in reference to a reported arson investigation. Officers observed the fire alarm sounding and noted smoke coming from the building, along with a foul smell that could be smelled in the parking lot. The officer located Door 18, observed it was unsecured, and entered the building. The interior was filled with smoke and haze. Officers entered in an attempt to locate the source of the fire, but no active fire was immediately located.
While the Springfield Fire Department cleared the scene, an officer reviewed surveillance footage. The officer observed a thin white male wearing a striped shirt and baseball cap inside the building. The officer immediately recognized the individual as Isaac Cass from a prior call for service on May 21, 2026. The officer further reported that the maleโs body type and clothing matched what Cass had been wearing during the prior contact.
After reviewing reports from fire investigators, officers learned from Fire Marshals and an ATF Special Agent that several points of origin within the building appeared to be incendiary in nature. Investigators identified an ignition point near a banner at the southwest entrance of the school immediately west of broken glass. Two additional ignition points were located inside the building in rooms described as the teacherโs lounge areas.
Investigators observed fire damage and evidence throughout the southwest entrance area and adjacent hallways and classrooms. Burn marks were visible on the bottom of the banner near Entrance 5, and the lower glass panel of the window had been shattered. Water damage was present throughout the hallway and classroom areas. A classroom identified as the sixth-grade room sustained fire damage beneath a broken window. Concrete fragments and rocks were located both inside the classroom and outside the broken window. Blood droplets were observed near the window. Investigators also documented heavy fire damage inside rooms identified as the teacherโs lounge areas, with burned furniture, damage to books, and evidence that multiple fires had occurred within the room.
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators reportedly showed Cass approaching the southwest entrance and attempting to ignite an object beneath the banner near Entrance 5 using a lighter or similar ignition source. Cass then held the item producing flames under the banner before he used a traffic cone to strike the surveillance camera, causing the footage to stop functioning.
Additional surveillance footage reportedly showed Cass walking through hallways, tearing down classroom nameplates, and kicking over a table after sitting on it. Cass entered and exited the teacherโs lounge area multiple times while smoke later became visible near the ceiling. Video footage showed Cass carrying books into the room and throwing papers into the area while smoke was present. Cass was also observed damaging a framed picture, knocking over a cart containing school supplies, and pulling a statue identified as a statue of Mary to the floor, causing it to break. Investigators reported that two additional statues of Mary outside the building had also been damaged. Exterior surveillance footage reportedly showed Cass running out of the building toward a playground shortly before returning toward the structure.
Following Cassโ arrest, officers conducted a post-Miranda interview with him. The ATF Special Agent assisted with the interview. Investigators stated that Cass initially provided short responses before eventually indicating that he had โlit something on fire.โ Cass stated that he observed โmessed up ritualistic shitโ that had upset him and claimed he โbroke in.โ Cass admitted throwing a rock through a window to gain entry and stated he looked back at the fire after setting it. Cass made additional statements regarding religion, the church affiliated with the school, and references to โMaryโ and the teacherโs lounge area. Cass also stated that he had hoped the fire would be extinguished before growing larger but also indicated he hoped the school would burn down completely. When asked how the fire was started, Cass stated he had used a lighter that he had since lost.
During booking procedures at the Greene County Jail, officers reviewed clothing seized from Cass and compared it to surveillance footage and the officerโs prior body camera footage. Investigators determined that the striped shirt, pants, and body type shown in the surveillance footage were consistent with Cass and the clothing he was wearing at the time of his arrest.
Investigators further reported that Cass described himself as homeless during the post-Miranda interview and indicated that his closest relatives lived in Neosho, Missouri. Investigators also stated that Cass made several comments expressing negative views toward the church associated with the school and indicated he targeted the location because itโs affiliation with the church. Officers reported concerns that Cass posed a continuing danger due to statements he made regarding his motives, references to going โall inโ in future actions, and behavior observed during the incident and interview process.
Cass is now charged with arson in the second degree and burglary in the second degree.
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