Tulsa Officer Testifies Meth Lab Evidence Was Found In Deadly Fire

A Tulsa Police investigator says there was evidence of a meth lab inside a room that sparked a deadly apartment fire back in 2009.

The officer testified in the trial of Mark Roberts, who faces murder and arson charges from the fire at the Royal Arms Apartments that killed two people and severely injured a third.

Chris Claramunt is a veteran Tulsa Police officer who was part of the meth lab response team that was called to the Royal Arms. Claramunt called it the worst meth lab fire he's ever seen.

Two officers collected evidence from Roberts' destroyed room, and it was Claramunt's job to catalogue it, including a plastic baggie with a white substance in it.

He conducted a field test and the substance was positive for meth.

Claramunt also says several items were recovered from the apartment that was consistent with things officers find in meth labs.

Things like funnels, clear plastic tubing with duct tape stoppers, a garden hose, butane fuel with a torch tip, a respirator plus several cans of Coleman camp fire fuel.

Claramunt believes Roberts operated an active lab that caused the fatal fire, but some components, like lithium battery strips, blister packs, or crushed up pseudoephedrine -- might have burned up in the fire.

The defense argued Claramunt made a biased choice to keep the evidence that suggests it was a meth lab and might have thrown out items that could have shown something else, like candles, started the fire.

The defense even asked for a mistrial after Claramunt's testimony but the judge said the trial will continue.

Related Stories:

7/29/2009: Man In Custody For Deadly Tulsa Meth Lab Fire

01/09/2012: Tulsan's Trial In Deadly 2009 Apartment Fire Begins This Week

01/10/2012: Opening Statements Begin In Trial Of Tulsa Man Charged In Deadly Fire

01/11/2012: Several Witnesses Take Stand In Trial Of Tulsa Man Charged In Deadly Fire