Police: Two Bad Hair Salon Interviews Led to Arson

On Aug. 8, a police officer on the midnight shift noticed a suspicous vehicle and pulled over the driver, Christopher Message, 35, of Valley Road in Fairfield. There was nothing to charge him with, so the officer let him go, but made a note of it.

After that traffic stop, Police Sgt. Jay Torreso was on routine patrol when he noticed smoke coming from the back of the Rustic Grille, housed in a shopping center at 494 Main Street. By the time firefighters were able to extinguish it, the restaurant had to be closed down.

Evidence of an attempt to set Frank's Barber Stylists, a few doors down from Rustic Grille, on fire and another attempt on Matt & Louie's Barber Shop further south on Main Street led Fire Marshal Bill Davin to classify the fire as arson.

Investigators received their first major break in the case when the state fire marshal, who was assisting Davin and Monroe police detectives, interviewed Message after he had been arrested for arson in Fairfield.

Message confessed to having started the fires in Monroe, as well as others in the town of Easton, according to police.

Monroe Police Chief John Salvatore said Message's name caught his department's attention because of the traffic stop on the night of the fire.

Further investigation by Monroe detectives and Fire Marshal Bill Davin determined that Rustic Grille, which bore the brunt of the damage, was not an intended target. Message had interviewed to be a barber at both Frank's and Matt & Louie's and felt he was not treated properly by both businesses, according to Police Capt. Michael Flick.

Message was arrested on a warrant at court today for the arson incident in Monroe. He was charged with one count of first-degree arson, one count of third-degree arson, two counts of third-degree burglary and one count of third-degree criminal mischief. Court set bond was $100,000.