Officials release video of Governor's Mansion fire

AUSTIN — The Texas Department of Public Safety, seeking the public's help in capturing an arsonist who burned the Governor's Mansion, released snippets of video Tuesday showing a potential suspect.

The Public Safety Department's security camera video shows a man walking on a sidewalk behind the mansion before the June 8 blaze and then a man running from the downtown Austin mansion about three minutes later. Investigators say they aren't sure if it's the same person.

"We're asking for anybody who may know this person, may see a particular trait in the person that they know, if they'll reach out and contact us," said Lt. Alvin Alexis of the Texas Rangers, a division of the Public Safety Department.

The person walking behind the mansion was carrying something that looked like a bag. He was wearing a Texas Longhorns baseball cap, a dark short-sleeve shirt and long dark pants. The person running away from the mansion was wearing similar clothing, Alexis said. The second image is more difficult to see.

Alexis said the portions of the video being released are those investigators have best been able to clarify.

"We have probably about 200 leads that we have been working on, and we've also been working on the quality of the video," Alexis said.

Gov. Rick Perry and his family were not living in the home when the fire broke out because it was undergoing a $10 million renovation and maintenance.

Investigators aren't suggesting any particular motive for the fire, Alexis said.

He downplayed any idea that investigators are under unusually intense pressure to solve the crime.

"Yes, it is the Texas Governor's Mansion, and, yes, we are working diligently," Alexis said. "But we do that on a lot of investigations."

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On the Net:

Official video: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/video/news/video.htm

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