CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — A home in the 3600 block of Chestnut Street — a property at the center of an ongoing legal dispute over a Corpus Christi man's claimed authority over nine rental properties — caught fire Sunday, and investigators now suspect arson, according to the Corpus Christi Fire Department.
Eric Lee Tunchez, founder of the Corpus Christi Cronica, was arrested at the scene on an outstanding warrant. He told officers the address was his residence, according to the probable cause statement.
CCFD confirmed the fire broke out at a one-story home described as vacant. Heavy fire and smoke originated in a converted garage and extended into the living area. Firefighters knocked down the blaze before it spread to a nearby home. One firefighter suffered minor injuries, according to the department.
In a message to KRIS 6 News, Assistant Fire Chief Tony Perez confirmed arson is suspected and that investigators are awaiting lab results and following up on leads. The home was vacant at the time of the fire, Perez said.
On Monday, KRIS 6 News reported that Tunchez has claimed adverse possession — a legal doctrine sometimes called squatters' rights — over nine Corpus Christi rental properties tied to the Estate of Robert Michael Peters and the Living Trust of Earl and Bernice Peters. Court records show Amy Becker, the court-appointed administrator of the Peters estate, holds exclusive legal authority to manage and collect rent from those properties, including the Chestnut Street address.
A Nueces County judge has previously ruled that Tunchez has no legal relationship to the decedent and no authority to act on behalf of the estate.
The Chestnut Street address is the same block where KRIS 6 News Troubleshooters previously reported on Jocelyn Davis, a single mother Tunchez placed in a home he claimed to control. In that case, Judge Timothy McCoy ruled Tunchez had no legal standing and no title to the property.
Tunchez was arrested Sunday on an outstanding Nueces County warrant for engaging in criminal activities, issued March 30, 2026, with a $2,000 bond through the 28th District Court. He was transported to the City Detention Center.
Meanwhile, a hearing to discuss a temporary restraining order filed by Becker against Tunchez will be heard in County Court at Law 4 Tuesday afternoon.
