Ind. man charged after allegedly setting severed genitals, garage on fire

Fort Wayne police said Christopher Peden admitted to cutting off his genitals, dousing them with gasoline and setting them on fire

July 09, 2026 04:43 PM

By Mark Heim
al.com

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — An Indiana man is facing up to 12 years in prison after being charged with arson.

But that appears to be the least of Christopher Peden’s problems.

He is accused of cutting off his genitals and using them to start the fire, according to Fox 59.

Per the report, Fort Wayne firefighters were dispatched to both a garage fire and reports of a stabbing in May.

Initially, Peden told police he was stabbed somewhere and had been threatened the day before.

He then told an officer at the hospital that he lied and revealed that he went into the garage and used a kitchen knife to cut off his genitals.

Peden then claimed to pour gasoline on the genitals then set them on fire.

A gasoline canister, four lighters and a kitchen knife were all found at the scene.

Court records do not detail whether the genitals were located.

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