11/07/2022
ARREST UPDATE (11/17/2022): The Oak Island Police Department has received notification from the Miami-Dade Police Department that 34-year-old Wesley Edward Heckendorn has been arrested.
Following an evaluation at a private medical facility, He was released into the custody of Miami-Dade Officers without incident.
Heckendorn is currently being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Facility in Miami, FL where he is awaiting an extradition hearing related to felony charges stemming from the November 6 fire at the Oak Island Masonic Lodge. Shortly after responding to the fire on November 6, the Oak Island Police Department obtained a Warrant for Arrest of Heckendorn on one count of Burning of Other Buildings.
No further details are available at this time. Any future updates will be provided on this post, as well as the News & Notices page of the Town Website at https://www.oakislandnc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/729/16
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PREVIOUS RELEASE (11/06/2022): Fire & Police Departments Respond to Suspected Intentional Fire at Masonic Lodge
On Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 2:50 PM, the Oak Island Fire Department was dispatched to the Oak island Masonic Lodge at 2408 E. Oak Island Dr., Oak Island, NC 28465, in response to a structure fire.
Within approximately 45 minutes the fire had been contained, and investigators began working to determine a cause. The building suffered extensive damage to the front area of the interior, however the full extent damage and the remaining structural condition is unknown at this time. On further investigation, it appeared the fire had been intentionally set.
The Oak Island Police Department is now responding to this as a fire investigation, and has announced a single suspect. The Department has obtained a Warrant for Arrest of Mr. Wesley Edward Heckendorn, 34 of Bolivia, NC on one count of Burning of Other Buildings. This is a felony offense, and now officially names Mr. Heckendorn as a suspect in this fire investigation.
At the same time, the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, NC is also searching for Heckendorn as part of an ongoing missing persons investigation. Heckendorn was last seen driving a white 2017 Kia Forte with a black rear bumper, and the license plate CDN7528.
Anyone with information on his location should CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY.
At this time, a suspect in the fire investigation of the Masonic Lodge has not been named, and Mr. Heckendorn is only listed as a person of interest.
Currently, no further information is available on the fire itself or the ongoing investigation. Any further updates will be provided on the News & Notices page of the Town Website at https://www.oakislandnc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/729/16
