2 arrested, charged for arson in 2025 fire of The Pub in Remer

REMER — Two people face charges of arson and insurance fraud, more than a year after an investigation in a fire that burned a Remer business.

The Cass County Sheriff's Office reported in a Thursday, Aug. 27, news release that warrants for the arrests of Kevin Wagner, 52, of Hill City, and Heather Pero, 36, of Grand Rapids, were issued as part of a multi-jurisdictional investigation into the fire at The Pub in Remer.

Wagner was the owner of the establishment. Court records indicate Pero worked there — and the two were in a romantic relationship.

Both face felony charges of aiding and abetting arson. Wagner is also facing an attempted insurance fraud charge. The two remained in custody in the Itasca County Jail on Thursday.

The Pub burned down April 27, 2025. Wagner and Pero told investigators they were there earlier on the day of the fire to get some food on their way to Hill City from the Northern Lights Casino in Walker. Investigators interviewed several employees of the bar, who indicated the couple was facing financial difficulties, including challenges paying employees.

Over the course of multiple interviews with investigators, Wagner confirmed the couple had attempted to sell the bar and had missed a month of payroll.

“He acknowledged that business has been tough over the last couple of winters and claimed the time of the incident was when he would make his most money and the incident really screwed him,” court documents state. “He further acknowledged that the bar was insured for $700,000.”

During a forensic analysis of the fire, investigators determined the fire started in two unconnected areas of the bar: a storage area and the kitchen. Evidence of a heavy petroleum, such as kerosene or diesel fuel, was present in the storage room.

Both Wagner and Pero made their first court appearances Thursday, and were being held without bond.