A 36-year-old Fort Wayne man is facing a felony charge of arson after he allegedly removed his own genitals and used the body part to commit the crime, 21 Alive News reported. Christopher Peden now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 12 years because of the incident.
The situation began in May when the Fort Wayne Fire Department received a dispatch for a garage fire. At the exact same time, officers with the Fort Wayne Police Department were sent to respond to reports of a stabbing. Peden initially claimed to police that he had been stabbed somewhere downtown. He also told officers that someone had threatened him the day before the incident occurred.
Peden later changed his story while he was being treated at the hospital. He told an officer that he had been dishonest at the original scene and wanted to be truthful about what actually happened. According to court documents, he stated that he went into the garage at about 2:00 AM. Once inside, he used a kitchen knife to cut off his genitals.
The sequence of events described by Peden is unusual and highly concerning
Peden told investigators that he poured gasoline on his dismembered organ and set it on fire. After starting the blaze, he left the garage and walked away until he eventually encountered police officers. A fire investigator examined the scene of the garage fire and found several items of interest.
The investigator located a gasoline container and four lighters, along with a kitchen knife nearby. It is unclear if the genitals were ever located, as court records do not provide those specific details.
This is a bizarre case that leaves plenty of questions about the motive behind such a destructive act. It is difficult to process the level of complexity involved in this situation, especially considering the potential for a lengthy prison sentence.
Peden is currently scheduled to return to court next week, where officials will set the dates for his upcoming trial.
Published: Jul 9, 2026 05:45 pm