A 36-year-old man from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been charged with arson after police allege he cut off his own genitals and used them to start a fire inside a garage in a shocking incident that has stunned authorities.
According to court documents, Christopher Peden initially told police he had been stabbed by an unknown attacker. However, investigators say he later admitted the injuries were self-inflicted and confessed to starting the fire.
Police allege that Peden used a kitchen knife to sever his genitals before pouring gasoline on the severed body part and setting it alight on the floor of a detached garage in the early hours of May 6.
Investigators recovered several items from the scene, including a gasoline container, four lighters and the kitchen knife allegedly used in the incident.
Authorities said Peden later encountered police and repeated his claim that he had been stabbed in downtown Fort Wayne. While receiving treatment at hospital, he reportedly admitted he had lied and told officers he wanted to "be truthful" about what had happened.
No fatalities were reported in the fire, and court records do not indicate whether the severed body part was recovered.
Peden has since been charged with arson and is expected to appear in court next week. If convicted, he could face a lengthy prison sentence under Indiana law.
