The first two of dozens of arson fires in Thornton destroyed vacant mobile homes in the Valley View Estates in May of 1979.
In November of 1979, a suspected serial arsonist set fire to the Valley View trailer park’s club house at 1201 W. 92nd Ave.
A fire in July 1980, also within the Valley View Estates, severely damaged another mobile home. Someone had used flammable liquids.
By October of 1982, 20 arson fires had been set in Thornton. Ten of the fires had been started in mobile homes.
Gary Nuetzmann worked at the Coors porcelain plant in Golden. He was divorced and had two sons, David and Michael, 4 and 1, respectively. The boys lived with their mother, Jackie Nuetzmann, a grade school teacher.
He took the boys for a visit home at trailer 220 in Valley View Estates while he was on vacation.
Timothy Dodson, 10, was the son of Nuetzmann’s second wife, Catherine Nuetzmann. He had a bedroom near the middle of the trailer.
On the morning of Oct. 20, 1982, a fire erupted in the living room around 3:20 a.m. Gary Nuetzmann was sleeping with his two sons in the front of the 64-foot trailer.
He ran to the back of the trailer to alert Catherine and her 8-year-old daughter Jennifer Dodson.
Gary Nuetzmann dashed back towards the front of the trailer to find the three boys. Neighbors recalled what happened next for Denver Post reporters.
“Get the kids! Get the kids!”
“It’s too hot,” Gary Nuetzmann yelled back.
He ran around to the front of the trailer and pounded on the front door, which was locked.
“Timmy is still in there,” Catherine Nuetzmann yelled.
