Overview
- The New Hampshire state fire marshal charged 19-year-old Peyton Eastman with felony arson and 18-year-old Joshua Pittman with felony conspiracy to commit arson.
- Both men also face misdemeanor criminal trespass counts following the August 2025 blaze that destroyed the late-1890s Kimball Castle.
- The charging announcement on Friday moves the matter into the court system and both defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in Laconia District Court on October 8, 2026.
- Authorities arrested the two on active warrants in early September and released them on personal recognizance pending court proceedings.
- Kimball Castle was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and officials said the heavily damaged structure will need to be demolished, a loss that raises local preservation and community concerns.