Police identify Polo Run victim

Hot Springs police on Thursday identified the victim of the March 27 fatal fire at Polo Run Apartments, 126 Manor Lane, as Gillibando Arellano, 48.

“The family has been notified, and they are working with Mexican Consulate to get his remains returned to Mexico,” police said in a news release.

Police said late last month that they believed Arellano lived on the second floor of the apartment building and was overcome by toxic fumes as he tried to escape down the stairs.

Police had to rely on DNA

tests to positively identify his remains, Cpl. Kirk Zaner said earlier this week. Detectives had developed information and “have an idea” who the victim is, Zaner said previously, and obtained DNA samples from the victim and a potential relative for comparison at the state crime lab.

Rayson Edward Clayton, 22, of Hot Springs, pleaded not guilty Monday to charges related to setting the fire and causing Arellano’s death. Clayton is charged with capital murder, punishable by the death penalty or up to life in prison, and arson involving damages in excess of $100,000, punishable by up to life, in relation to the fire.

According to the probable cause affidavit on Clayton’s arrest, the fire began in a common area on the first floor of the apartment building shortly after Clayton’s aunt, who had kicked him out of her first-floor apartment the day before, declined to let him back inside to pick up his belongings.

An acquaintance of Clayton’s who was with him told police he heard Clayton threaten to “burn the place down” a few minutes before the fire started. Investigators believe the fire started with a sofa in the common area near where Clayton had been standing.