An Ohio volunteer firefighter has been charged with aggravated murder and aggravated arson following allegations that he shot a woman, set fire to her home, and then responded to the scene as part of the fire department’s response.

According to authorities in Darke County, on April 10, 2026 firefighters were dispatched to a house fire on Zumbrum Road near Ansonia, Ohio. When crews arrived, the structure was fully involved. During suppression operations, firefighters discovered the body of 50-year-old Ericka Kramer inside the home. Investigators later determined that her death was a homicide. 

Peyton Beam, 22, a member of the Ansonia Volunteer Fire Department, was identified by prosecutors as the person responsible for Kramer’s death. During a bond hearing, the Darke County Prosecutor’s Office alleged that Beam shot Kramer twice in the back and twice in the head, then poured gasoline on her body and ignited the residence in an effort to conceal the crime. Prosecutors characterized the killing by stating: “The victim in this matter was executed by the defendant.” 

Authorities further alleged that Beam responded to the incident as a firefighter after setting the fire. Prosecutors told the court that “under the guise of being a firefighter, he was one of the first people to get to the property.” 

According to reports, Beam had known Kramer for several years and performed farm work for her. Defense counsel John Rion told the court that Beam considered Kramer “like a second mother” and argued that there was no direct evidence tying him to the crime, adding that the defense would be closely examining ballistic evidence and other physical proof. 

Prosecutors requested that bond be set at $20 million. The court instead set bond at $5 million.