SANIBEL, Fla. — A man was arrested following a fire and break-in at a Sanibel Island beach house late Wednesday night.
The suspect, identified as Robert Latta Butterfield III, was detained at the scene after allegedly breaking into one of the vacation rental units at Seahorse Cottages, where a group of French tourists was staying.
According to the property manager, Butterfield, who was reportedly naked at the time, was stabbed by someone inside the unit during the break-in.
Hear what neighbors saw:
Authorities arrived to find a tiki hut engulfed in flames. The Fire Marshal is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire, which occurred in the backyard of the property.
Neighbors described the chaotic scene to Fox 4 News.
“When we woke up and looked outside and saw that there was a huge fire, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this can't happen again,’” said Robin Roberts-Lindsey, who lives on the property across from where the fire broke out.
Roberts-Lindsey said it was particularly frightening because they had previously lost their house in a fire.
"I immediately started crying and had to gather the things that were important to me," Roberts-Lindsey explained. "I just kept thinking, 'I can't do this, I can't lose everything again.'"
The fire burned through a bordering gate, leaving a large hole between the two properties.
Roberts-Lindsey’s husband, Gary Lindsey, said smoke entered their home, but they managed to escape safely.
“We got out of the house as quickly as we could,” he said. “The flames were probably 20 feet high, but fortunately, the fire department arrived pretty quickly."
Detectives have charged Butterfield with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and criminal mischief with damage over $1,000.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says Butterfield has a lengthy criminal history in both Mississippi and Florida, including charges for DUI, burglaries, aggravated assault, property damage and multiple counts of criminal mischief.
