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Washington County resident Cody Shields, age 33, of Argyle, was arrested on suspicion of arson Wednesday, July 24, in connection with a fire that destroyed his Albany County business, The Big Body Butcher Shop in Colonie.
The Central Avenue business was gutted when flames broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
Shields called 911 at 5 a.m. reporting that his business was on fire. By the time firefighters quelled the flames, the building had suffered extensive damage.
An investigation by the Town of Colonie Fire Services Investigators concluded that the fire was suspicious in nature. Together with Colonie Police, they concluded that Shields intentionally started the blaze.
“The motivation appears to be financial in nature with Mr. Shields having significant outstanding debt related to the business,” police said.
Shields was taken into custody at his Argyle residence without incident. He is charged with felony arson and grand larceny, as well as petit larceny, a misdemeanor.
He was arraigned in Albany County Court and was later released on his own recognizance.
Colonie Police are asking anyone with information in the case to contact detectives at 518-783-2754 or Capital Region Crime Stoppers.
Shields opened The Big Body Butcher Shop in October 2018 after getting started in the industry a decade prior, according to his website. The business shipped beef, pork, chicken, veal, and other meats to customers across the country.
The shop had become a staple in the Capital Region, with Shields and his partner Jess known for their holiday meal donations to families and giving bicycles to kids for Christmas.
In the days after the fire, community members donated over $10,000 to a GoFundMe campaign created to help Shields rebuild.
“I put everything I had into this building/business and there's not much to show for it now,” Shields wrote on Facebook the following morning. “I'm devastated to say the least.”
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