Alaska State Troopers badge. File photo.

Alaska State Troopers badge. File photo.

Updated: Arson, burning charges dismissed in Homer fire case

Kimberly Ketter, 41, was arrested on Jan. 4 for several charges including arson.

Update Jan. 15: At a preliminary hearing Wednesday, the charges of arson and criminally negligent burning were both dismissed against Kimberly Ketter after an attorney for the state said no evidence had been drawn. Both were dismissed by the court.

Ketter’s attorney said that she would like to proceed with the case, and a pretrial hearing for the remaining charges of disorderly conduct and violating conditions of release was set for Feb. 11 at 2:30 p.m. in Homer, followed by a trial the week of March 10.

Original story:

Kimberly Ketter, 41, of Homer was arrested by Alaska State Troopers on Saturday, Jan. 4 in connection to a structure fire that occurred at a residence out East End Road that same day.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Ketter, who previously ran for a seat on the Homer City Council in 2016 and 2017, is charged with one count of second-degree arson, one count of second-degree criminally negligent burning, one count of violating conditions of release and one count of disorderly conduct.

Troopers in Anchor Point responded to Saturday’s fire along with the Homer Police Department, Kachemak Emergency Services and the Homer Volunteer Fire Department. According to AST dispatches from Jan. 4, the fire was “quickly controlled,” however, the residence was mostly consumed.

According to an affidavit by Trooper Marco Fischer, at approximately 6:16 p.m. on Saturday, AST received several calls about the structure fire and were advised that “there was a female identified as Kimberly Ketter, who was screaming and yelling something about Jesus, gasoline and fire and the female was experiencing either a mental or drug induced psychosis.”

The residence, an 8-by-12-foot cabin, belonged to Paul Cooper, who works as a taxi driver in Homer. According to Fischer’s affidavit, Cooper confirmed that Ketter lived in a camper on his property and that he let her use the shower and sometimes stay in the cabin “when it is extremely cold outside.”

Fischer also wrote that AST had “known history of prior contacts” at Cooper’s property for previous domestic violence disturbance calls between Cooper and Ketter. Cooper told Fischer on Jan. 4 that he had previously attempted to evict and remove Ketter from his property, including serving her a “notice to quit” last September, “but there was not a courts reason to evict her” and she remained on the property.

Ketter told troopers at the scene that her shower had somehow been “rigged with gasoline” and that she thought someone was trying to kill her, according to the affidavit.

Troopers conducted a breathalyzer test on Ketter, who was found to have a 0.164 breath alcohol content. Troopers took Ketter to the hospital for medical care before remanding her to the Homer Jail, where she remains in custody.

In addition to the charges from Jan. 5, Ketter has an open misdemeanor case for interference with emergency communications, for which she was arrested by HPD on Dec. 29. According to the affidavit, Ketter’s conditions of release on this charge state that she must obey all court orders and all federal, state and local laws, and must not consume or possess alcohol.

A preliminary hearing for Ketter for the charges brought on Jan. 4 is currently scheduled for Jan. 15 at 4 p.m. in the Kenai Courthouse.

A GoFundMe campaign was started by Amy Andree to raise money to help Cooper rebuild his house. Further information can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/help-paul-rebuild-after-fire-loss.

More in News

David Haeg reads from an annotated copy of a grand jurist’s handbook during a town hall on the Alaska grand jury process in the Betty J. Glick Assembly Chambers in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
State attorney general fields grand jury questions at Soldotna town hall

The State Department of Law in July rolled out a new, formalized process for Alaska residents to request an investigation by a grand jury.

A flier for the 2025 Candidate Forum series presented by KDLL and the Peninsula Clarion describes a series of forums held at local libraries with candidates for each office. (Ashlyn O’Hara/KDLL)
Clarion, KDLL to host candidate forum series

The live, open-to-the-public candidate forums will take place ahead of the Oct. 7 municipal election.

The Kenai Courthouse is seen on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Grand jury indicts woman accused of murdering 78-year-old Soldotna man

LaShaunda Lewis is charged in the death of 78-year-old John “Skip” Dove Jr.

Kenai City Hall is seen on a sunny Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai to vote for mayor, city council candidates in upcoming election

There are no ballot propositions being considered in this year’s election.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District logo. Photo courtesy of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
6 candidates on school board ballot

This year’s election will take place on Oct. 7.

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Parker, Carey running unopposed for Soldotna City Council

Soldotna voters will decide on annexation proposition.

The entrance to the George A. Navarre Admin Building in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
11 candidates on Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly ballot

This year’s election is set for Oct. 7.

Soldotna Mayor Paul Whitney cuts a ceremonial ribbon for the Soldotna Field House during its grand opening in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna Field House welcomes public during grand opening

The field house will open on Sept. 2 for regular operations.

President Donald Trump greets President Vladimir Putin of Russia as they met at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
Trump and Putin put on a show of friendship but come away without a deal

ANCHORAGE — President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached no… Continue reading

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in