Man arrested in Cavallero arson

An employee of Cavallero Heating and Air Conditioning was arrested Tuesday for the arson fire that heavily damaged the business last month.

Earl Ray Bishop, 31, of Dayton, was arrested at Cavallero at 12:50 p.m. after he was allegedly identified in surveillance video.

The tape was taken from a damaged VCR located in the third of the building consumed by the early-morning blaze June 21.

Investigators from the Carson City Sheriff's and Fire departments were on hand at the time of the arrest.

"They all worked very hard," said Sue Cavallero of investigators. Cavallero, along with her father Ken, mother Charlene and sister, Debbie, own the 26-year-old business that has anchored the east end of Carson City since 1976. "They should be honored for their hard work."

She said the arrest is relief, mixed with sadness, because the culprit seems to be one of their own.

"We wondered how anyone can hate anyone that much," she said, adding police believe the arson was motivated by greed because petty cash was missing from the business.

According to police reports, a photo was taken of a subject on the tape, then shown to the Cavalleros. All four agreed Bishop was the man in the tape.

When police questioned Bishop, he admitted the photo was him; however, "he had no idea how or why (he) was on the tape," the report states.

Police said they also found keys on Bishop, who worked in the service department, that gave him access to that portion of the building.

Sue Cavallero said Bishop has been with the company for five or six years.

On the day of the fire, Bishop didn't show for work, but Cavallero said she was told he had called in. Since then he hasn't missed a scheduled day of work, she said.

The fire, although fierce, didn't stop the business from operating.

Cavallero said drivers were dispatched to calls on the day of the fire, and those who worked in the office were sent home.

"We have stayed open and will stay open," she said, standing in front of the boarded-up east-end windows.

For now, employees are taking service calls on their home phones and the office is working out of a warehouse in the rear of the building, she said.

"We'll be back in our offices soon" she said.

Damage was estimated at $350,000, and the fire cost the city $10,000 to fight.

Bishop is charged with suspicion of felony first-degree arson and burglary. He was being held on $65,000 bail.