Man accused of setting ex-girlfriend's Cambridge home on fire while veteran husband and dog were inside

Prosecutors allege a 35-year-old man intentionally set fire to his former girlfriend's Cambridge, Minnesota, home while her husband, a Marine veteran, and his service dog were inside.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Isanti County, the suspect, from Shoreview, Minnesota, is charged with first-degree arson in connection with the May 6 fire that destroyed the home of Travis and Taylor Wilken.

Travis Wilken was inside the house with his dog, Sunny, watching television when he noticed smoke and discovered the fire. Wilken, a combat veteran, attempted to extinguish the flames himself, but the home was ultimately deemed a total loss.

Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set and found evidence consistent with the use of an accelerant. Witnesses told authorities they saw a man carrying a plastic jug while asking neighbors which house belonged to the Wilken family shortly before the fire started, the complaint said.

According to the court document, Taylor Wilken later identified the man from a photograph taken by a responding police officer. The complaint states she recognized the man as an ex-boyfriend, for whom she had previously obtained a restraining order.

The suspect was arrested in Chisago County on unrelated warrants. Investigators noted a strong odor of gasoline coming from his belongings.

The complaint also details a second investigation that unfolded about a month later in East Bethel, Minnesota. According to prosecutors, witnesses spotted the same suspect near the scene of another suspicious house fire involving a former romantic partner who also had a restraining order against him.

During the investigation into the East Bethel incident, authorities recovered a laundry detergent jug containing gasoline.