A 55-year-old homeless man has been charged with two counts of first-degree arson following a fire that destroyed his mother’s home, Aberdeen police say.

Police arrested Ron B. White last week. He is suspected of starting two fires, both on his mother’s house at 910 N. Thornton St.

The first fire, on June 19, only partially burned the house, but the second, on Oct. 16, burned the entire home to the ground. Aberdeen Police Lt. Kevin Darst said White has a history of arson and other criminal charges and was not initially arrested, but investigators found video and other evidence that made police suspect and arrest him for probable cause. Evidence included images of someone in clothes that police matched with White’s when they found him the day after October’s fire.

Darst said White’s mother contacted police and thought it was likely her son who started the fires. The mother was not injured in either of the fires. Darst guessed the house was valued somewhere between $100,000 and $200,000.

Darst recalled going to high school with White and said he’s been in the area for a long time and may have issues with mental illness and/or drugs.

“He was in Municipal Court recently and found competent to stand trial,” Darst said of White, who is currently in jail. “So I can’t know exactly what his mental illness or drug use is, but he’s been around for a very long time. Graduated from a local high school and I even knew him at high school.”

Aberdeen Police Department photo A house fire burns at 910 N. Thornton Street in Aberdeen. Ron B. White has been arrested under suspicion of arson and burning this house which belonged to his mother.

Ron B. White, 55, stands outside the Tinderbox in Aberdeen. He is suspected of starting two fires at a house on Thorton Street. (Courtesy Aberdeen Police)

Ron B. White, 55, stands outside the Tinderbox in Aberdeen. He is suspected of starting two fires at a house on Thorton Street. (Courtesy Aberdeen Police)