Man sleeping in parking garage charged with arson after allegedly setting dumpster on fire

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Leviticus Leon Murray, 42, was arrested early Tuesday morning and charged with first-degree arson after allegedly setting a dumpster on fire in the parking garage at The Hub on 3rd Avenue.

At about 2:39 a.m. on February 20, Gainesville Police Department officers and Gainesville Fire Rescue crews responded to a report of smoke coming from the parking garage at The Hub on 3rd Avenue, 1258 NW 3rd Avenue.

Post Miranda, Murray reportedly said he lit a small fire next to the dumpster and then discarded an extinguished piece of cardboard into the dumpster before going back to sleep next to the dumpster. He said it was an accident that the dumpster caught on fire and that he had only set a small fire next to the dumpster to stay warm.

The officer reported, however, that surveillance video showed Murray throwing cardboard that was on fire into the dumpster and then throwing more cardboard on the fire, causing it to grow. The video reportedly showed that once the fire started spreading inside the dumpster, Murray walked to the opposite side of the dumpster and watched it burn for several minutes, without making any effort to extinguish the fire or use any nearby fire alarms.

When the officer re-interviewed Murray, Murray reportedly changed his story and said he lit the dumpster on fire to stay warm.

The estimated damage to the sprinkler system and dumpster is about $2,000.

Murray has two felony convictions (none violent) and 11 misdemeanor convictions (none violent) and has served one state prison sentence; he was released in July 2023. Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $100,000, but the State Attorney’s Office filed a notice stating their intention to file a motion for pre-trial detention (i.e., that Murray be held without bond) within three days.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.