Man to stand trial for Hempfield arson that caused $1 million damage, killed 3 dogs

The day before a Hempfield family departed for a Christmas vacation to the Caribbean, a Greensburg man who did household chores for them showed up unexpectedly “with a plate of brownies” as a departing gift, according to testimony at a preliminary hearing Friday.

State police allege 9 days after the surprise Christmas Eve visit from Randy W. Bryner, the 58 year old returned Jan. 2 to steal silver coins and set fire to the house to cover up the burglary.

Based on two hours of testimony Senior District Judge Helen Kistler ruled there was sufficient evidence for Bryner to stand trial on multiple counts of aggravated arson, arson, burglary, criminal trespass, cruelty to animals and reckless endangerment.

Two Southwest Greensburg firefighters were injured while fighting the fire that caused $1 million in damage to the 5,700-square-foot home and its contents. Three family dogs died.

Under questioning by assistant District Attorney Leo Ciaramitaro, homeowner Maurice Auer said he hired Bryner last summer to complete a few outdoor chores.

“He wasn’t allowed inside our home except to go to the bathroom,” Auer testified. “He wasn’t given permission to go into our house while we were gone.”

A relative who was accompanying the Auers on the trip had hired Bryner to feed and walk their dog at a vacant Jeannette residence until both families returned Jan. 2, Auer said.

The families returned to Florida Jan. 1, but their return flights to Western Pennsylvania were delayed, so they rented a car to drive home, Auer said.

During the drive, Auer said about 7 p.m. Jan. 2, a pet camera inside the Farmington Place residence was triggered by the dogs barking and alerted their cell phones. A little while later, Auer testified that the family could see via video smoke filling the room and a separate alarm contained on the device indicating “there was an emergency.”

“It was smoke. I was stunned,” Auer testified.

The family called911. A dispatcher reported firefighters were already responding. They then called two relatives, including one who had been caring for the Auers’ dogs.

As the family continued to drive, Auer said he busily downloaded the videos taken by his pet camera but did not know whether they contained any information on how the fire started until he watched them a “few days later.”

“I recognized Randy’s voice right away. I called the troopers and turned over the tapes to them,” Auer said.

Firefighter William Wright testified he spent a night in Excela Health Westmoreland hospital in Greensburg after suffering burns to his hands, arms, back and neck. Firefighter Seth Parsley was also treated and released, authorities said.

Attorney Owen Seman pleaded not guilty on behalf of Bryner.

Seman also asked Auer whether the video carried any actual pictures of Bryner entering the home.

“No. But you could hear the door opening,” Auer said.

Court records filed by troopers said Auer and his wife, Maureen, recognized Bryner’s voice addressing the dogs after he entered the home.

“He had only been over about 15 times, but the dogs knew who he was,” Auer said.

Based on the videos of how the fire quickly spread, Trooper Chet Bell said he believed the fire was intentionally set.

Trooper Seth Helman they searched for the silver coin collection but did not find it. The 180 to 200 coins were valued at approximately $7,000.

Bell added that the accelerant used could not be determined, but he believes it was arson.

Seman asked Kistler to dismiss “all charges.”

“There’s no specific indication on how the fire started. Everything we’ve heard here today is based on assumptions … based on somebody’s voice recognition. … Nobody even saw my client enter the residence,” Seman said.

However, Ciaramitaro argued that there was sufficient evidence presented against Bryner for him to stand trial.

“There’s no better way to cover up a crime than to destroy evidence of one’s crimes,” Ciaramitaro said.

”Trooper Bell ruled the fire was incendiary, intentionally set based on all of the evidence collected at the scene. Additionally, Mr. Auer identified the voice as Mr. Bryner’s,” he said.

Bell said police have not recovered the stolen silver coins. Anyone with information is asked to call state police at 724-832-3288.

Bryner previously was sentenced to five to 10 years in a state prison on burglary charges stemming from a 2013 incident in Northampton County, according to state records. He was released in August 2020 and remains on parole. His criminal history dates to the 1980s.

Kistler remanded Bryner to the county jail, where he has been held on $200,000 bond since his Jan. 7 arrest.