Worker threatens to burn down restaurant before deadly fire, Texas officials say

A man accused of arson is now facing an additional charge of murder following the death of his co-worker injured in a restaurant fire, according to Texas officials and news outlets.

Zachary Salley, 23, died Sunday, July 13 — about two weeks after Savage’s Hill Country Bar and Grill, in Wimberley, went up in flames on June 27, Hays County officials said in a news release. Salley died “as a result of his injuries sustained from the fire.”

Investigators say the restaurant was scheduled to permanently close in a matter of days, but an employee — Aidan Lane Dwyer, 24 — entered Savage’s and set it on fire, KXAN reported. Salley was also in the building, but officials have not said why.

Flammable liquid residue was found in various parts of the restaurant, investigators said, adding that fire alarms and security cameras were also disabled just before the blaze, the outlet reported.

When firefighters arrived at the scene around 5 a.m., the first floor was already destroyed and flames had crept up to the second, KVUE reported.

At the same time, police in nearby San Marcos were responding to a call about a man “covered in blood and knocking on doors,” and he was taken to a hospital with severe burns, according to the outlet. Investigators later confirmed the man was a restaurant employee.

Dwyer was arrested June 30 in Jasper County, then booked into the Hays County Jail, officials said.

According to investigators, Dwyer’s roommate said he had previously talked about wanting to burn down the restaurant, and that Dwyer smelled like gasoline on the day the fire occurred, KVUE reported.

Wimberley is a roughly 40-mile drive southwest from Austin.

This story was originally published July 15, 2025 at 8:17 AM with the headline "Worker threatens to burn down restaurant before deadly fire, Texas officials say."