Man sentenced after attempting suicide by setting apartment on fire with others inside

REXBURG — A 25-year-old man was recently sentenced for trying to end his own life by trying to set his apartment on fire, endangering his six roommates and many more in the building.

Benjamin Mark White was sentenced by District Judge Steven Boyce to five years of felony probation and 100 hours of community service.

He will also be required to spend 180 days in the Madison County Jail. He will receive credit for six days already served. He will also be required to pay any reasonable restitution for any economic loss arising from the arson.

If he violates his probation, he could serve a prison sentence of five years fixed and five years indeterminate.

White initially pleaded not guilty to one count of felony first-degree arson in September 2024. He later accepted a plea agreement in May 2026, in which he agreed to plead guilty to the charge in exchange for the prosecution recommending a suspended sentence and six months in the county jail.

The case

According to police reports, a Rexburg Police officer was called to the Jordan Ridge Apartments on April 5, 2024, after a report of arson. Police spoke with White at the scene, who said that he was intending to self-harm and had lit a fire in his apartment.

Court documents say he admitted to purposely removing the natural gas line from the gas source to the water heater, which was located in the shared apartment where six other people lived at the time.

White stated that he used isopropyl rubbing alcohol to light a fire, and poured the alcohol on the floor next to his bed, trailing it to the gas line, where he put a crumbled-up piece of paper next to the opened gas line.

He then told police he lit a candle and placed it on a table “in an effort to ignite the gas fumes,” according to police reports. White stated that the candle was taking too long, so he started a fire in the living room using paper towels and sheet music paper.

During court, Boyce indicated that one of White’s roommates discovered the fire and quickly extinguished it.

The sentencing

The prosecution was clear while detailing to the court the danger of the act that White performed, one that could have harmed and potentially killed many people.

“This was an incredibly dangerous action that, I don’t even want to come up with something analogous because the actions themselves were so incredibly dangerous,” said Prosecutor Adam Garvin. “It is an indication that this attempt was for the purpose of ending his own life. And yet, everyone else in that apartment, that individual apartment, as well as essentially anyone in surrounding apartments in the building, could’ve easily been killed by these actions.”

Garvin asked the judge to follow the plea agreement, saying he recognizes that mental health was a big part of the incident, and that White has no previous criminal history.

“It is my understanding that (White) has been involved in mental health treatment during the pendency of this case,” Garvin said. “However, considering the severity of the crime, the actions and the danger that there was to the community, the state’s recommendation is for ten years in (local jail), with five of those years being a fixed term.”

White’s defense attorney, Trent Grant, also argued that the judge should follow the plea agreement but asked for leniency given his client’s remorse and his ability to take responsibility for his actions.

“I think it’s important to note that no one was injured. What could have happened did not happen,” Grant said. “Mr. White has taken responsibility from the very beginning and handled this very appropriately.”

Grant says his client has been in counseling and has been getting help for his suicidal thoughts since the incident.

“At this point in time, not dealing with the depression, the suicidal ideations and things that he was dealing with at the time,” Grant said. “Having been in counseling, he is very grateful that no one else was hurt.”

Grant ended his arguments by asking the court to sentence White to a suspended sentence, with the underlying jail time fixed at two years and indeterminate at three.

“He is able to look back at the situation now and recognize that he was responsible for what happened, that he regrets his actions, and that he regrets not asking for help from a great support of family and friends,” Grant said.

White then spoke to the court, apologizing for the incident and detailing his growth since finding help for his mental health.

“I feel deep regret for my previous actions that put myself and others in danger as a result,” said White. “I feel grateful every day that no one was hurt by my actions at the time. I believe I’ve shown real growth. In two years since the incident, I’ve made restitution to the apartment complex for my actions, shortly after my release on bail.”

Before pronouncing his ruling, Boyce was notably strict when explaining the severity of the crime and how lucky it was that the fire didn’t get worse.

“The fact that (the fire) didn’t become a raging inferno and injure or kill you and the other residents of the apartment complex does not make it not arson,” Boyce said. “One of your roommates quickly discovered the fire, grabbed a fire extinguisher from a neighboring apartment, and put the fire out.’ I’m grateful it didn’t burn down and that you’re not sitting here looking at multiple counts of murder.”

Boyce also noted that though part of the crime was due to mental health issues, other people could’ve been hurt or killed in the process.

“The fact that you decided to try and go about (ending his own life) in such a way that would immediately put others at great and deadly risk, shows at the time, either a total and utter disregard for the lives of other people around you, or possibly some intent to have other people hurt,” said Boyce.