Robert Lucky Patterson, 20, was arrested over the summer in connection with the fatal April 13 fire at 64 E. 17th Ave., but was released 10 days later.
Patterson was arrested after police found a jacket in his old apartment, which police believed was worn by the arson suspect the night of the fire.
He remains a suspect in the case, but all leads are still being pursued, said Detective Mike Cone.
“He was released because at the end of the 10 days, further investigation needed to take place,” said Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien. “The police were asked to conduct further investigation, and I am receiving investigation updates from police on a regular basis.”
In the state of Ohio, if an indictment or preliminary hearing is not given to the suspect within 10 days of the arrest, the suspect must be freed.
Columbus police and the FBI continue to investigate the arson, which killed two Ohio State students – Kyle Raulin, 20, and Alan Schlessman, 21 – and three Ohio University students – Christine Wilson, 19, Andrea Dennis, 20, and Erin Demarco, 19.
People who knew the victims are hoping the perpetrator of the crime will be found.
“I think it will bring closure to everyone who knew Kyle if someone is brought to justice,” said Myles Beeman, a senior in business. Beeman played varsity soccer with Raulin for two years at Lakota West High School, in West Chester, Ohio.
Raulin and Schlessman are being honored by their hometowns.
“We have set up a Kyle Raulin special project fund, which collected enough donations to build a wall on the soccer field to commemorate Kyle,” said Gerry Weisgerber, the Lakota West High School athletic director.
The wall was dedicated at the Sept. 9 Lakota East and West soccer game. It has Raulin’s soccer jersey number on it with flags around it, and a plaque will be placed on the wall. There will be a phase two of the commemoration to Raulin, but it has not yet been made, Weisgerber said.
Schlessman, who grew up in Perkins Township, Ohio, was an Ohio state golf champion at Sandusky Perkins High School. John Schlessman, Alan’s father, found it appropriate to use golf to commemorate his son’s death.
“A clinic geared toward teaching lifetime sports to under privileged children has been established in Al’s name, called Al’s Clinics,” John Schlessman said. He said he was pleased with how the clinic began this summer.
The community also has established a scholarship in Alan Schlessman’s name and a garden has been built in a courtyard of Sandusky Perkins High School in his honor.
