Friday, May 9, 2025
Beyond the Crime Scene
  • Home
  • News
  • True Crime Stories
  • Videos
  • Podcast
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • True Crime Stories
  • Videos
  • Podcast
No Result
View All Result
Beyond the Crime Scene
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Michigan man drives over 700 miles, sets fire to home of man who communicated with his ex: officials

by
February 18, 2025
in News
0
Michigan man drives over 700 miles, sets fire to home of man who communicated with his ex: officials
189
SHARES
1.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter



A Michigan man has been arrested after police said he drove over 700 miles to set fire to the Pennsylvania home of a man who had communicated with his ex-girlfriend online. 

The Bensalem Police Department said 21-year-old Harrison Jones, of Rockford, Mich., was arrested for setting fire to a home with six people inside.

The people inside were hospitalized, while the family’s two dogs, Trey and Jett, were unable to escape the home and died. 

Officials said the people inside the home were able to escape thanks to the mom, who heard suspicious noises, before finding the fire and evacuating her family, adding that some family members even had to jump out of second-story windows to escape the flames.

“It’s a miracle they all survived,” Bensalem Public Safety Director William McVey said during a Monday morning press conference. “And we credit the mother of that house for taking the actions she did to protect her family and ensure that they all lived.”

Harrison Jones, 21, of Rockford, Mich., was arrested for setting fire to a home with six people inside. Bensalem Police

Bensalem Fire Rescue and Bensalem Police Detectives began investigating the cause of the fire, and determined that the fire appeared to be “intentionally set and incendiary in nature.”

Officials said the only lead in the case was a grainy image of a black sedan from a neighbor’s surveillance system.

The video captured a vehicle pulling up to the home around 5 a.m. that morning. A suspect is seen exiting the vehicle, walking towards the back of the home, where officials say he stayed for over ten minutes, before he is seen running away from the house and speeding off. 

Officials said the people inside the home could escape thanks to the mom, who heard suspicious noises, before finding the fire and evacuating her family. Bensalem Police

About 30 seconds later, video shows an explosion erupting as the house goes up in flames. 

Two days after the fire, investigators were able to trace the vehicle back to Jones, obtain an arrest warrant, and take him into custody.

Investigators added that Jones also had apparent burns on his arm.

Officials confirmed that Jones is the ex-boyfriend of a woman from Michigan who had been in an online relationship with a male resident in the Bensalem house since 2023. However, a motive for the fire is still being investigated.

Court documents obtained by FOX 29 Philadelphia say Jones was supposed to drive his ex-girlfriend to meet the man she was communicating with in Bensalem, to a local hotel in the near future. Instead, investigators say he drove to Bensalem on his own with “murderous intentions.”

“He drove over 730 miles, 11 hours, to do what he did and then drove directly back home,” McVey said during the press conference. 

Officials said Jones is charged with six counts of attempted homicide, arson and related offenses. He is currently awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania.

Officials said the only lead in the case was a grainy image of a black sedan from a neighbor’s surveillance system. Bensalem PD

According to a GoFundMe page, the family, identified as “Andrew and Stacy Zalenski, along with their two children, Alex and Ava, and Stacy’s parents, Joe and Karen Wendowski, lost everything.”

“Our family members are currently going through a horrendous time in their lives. If you have animals, you know they are a part of your family, and they meant everything to this family,” the post reads.

“Stacy tried to do everything she could to save them, risking her life going back into the burning home but needed to jump out of the second story window because she felt herself losing consciousness.”

The family member who created the GoFundMe page added that the Zalenski family has “been through so much within the past three years, with Stacy fighting a long, hard battle with cancer and now losing their home.”

“They are a gracious, loving, caring, generous family, and nobody deserves to go through everything that they have been through. It has been hard enough dealing with cancer and Stacy almost losing her life multiple times, to now losing their beloved dogs, precious memories, and everything they own and have worked so hard for over the years.”

“This is a family’s worst nightmare to be asleep in their home, not knowing that a stranger broke into their home, and attempted to take their lives by setting their home on fire,” Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn told FOX 29.

“This family suffered such inconceivable loss. This defendant’s actions are incomprehensible, and he will be held accountable.”

In addition to the GoFundMe, a family member also started a fundraiser with the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society to honor their memory. A PAWS spokesperson told FOX 29 they plan to create a plaque to dedicate one of their kennels to Trey and Jett for their heroism.



Source link

Related articles

Michigan dad Andre Broadenax brings along daughter, 11, to home burglary and ditches her when homeowner arrives: prosecutors

Michigan dad Andre Broadenax brings along daughter, 11, to home burglary and ditches her when homeowner arrives: prosecutors

May 9, 2025
Father of 15-year-old Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow faces felony charges

Father of 15-year-old Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow faces felony charges

May 9, 2025
Tags: crimefiresmichiganpennsylvaniaphiladelphiaUS News
Share76Tweet47
Previous Post

Wealthy mom of 3, Jennifer Gledhill, who allegedly killed husband after he discovered her affair appears in court as police still search for body

Next Post

Socialite acquitted in ex-husband’s death after fatal argument

Related Posts

Michigan dad Andre Broadenax brings along daughter, 11, to home burglary and ditches her when homeowner arrives: prosecutors

Michigan dad Andre Broadenax brings along daughter, 11, to home burglary and ditches her when homeowner arrives: prosecutors

by
May 9, 2025
0

A delinquent dad allegedly strong-armed his unsuspecting daughter into breaking into a Detroit house, but skipped out at the first...

Father of 15-year-old Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow faces felony charges

Father of 15-year-old Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow faces felony charges

by
May 9, 2025
0

Wisconsin prosecutors have charged the father of a teenage girl who killed a teacher and fellow student in a school shooting last...

Tweaked discovery laws still do not provide enough aid to boost liberal NY's abysmal conviction rate

Tweaked discovery laws still do not provide enough aid to boost liberal NY’s abysmal conviction rate

by
May 9, 2025
0

An optimist will look at the discovery-law “deal” that Gov. Hochul struck with the New York Legislature during budget negotiations and...

Fixes in Hochul's budget can curb crime and aid the mentally ill — IF cops, judges, DAs do their jobs

Fixes in Hochul’s budget can curb crime and aid the mentally ill — IF cops, judges, DAs do their jobs

by
May 9, 2025
0

The legislative fixes Gov. Kathy Hochul got lawmakers to agree to in the budget they’re (finally) passing this week won’t...

NYC teen busted over threats to schools in Texas, Florida, targeting family of Uvalde massacre victim

NYC teen busted over threats to schools in Texas, Florida, targeting family of Uvalde massacre victim

by
May 8, 2025
0

A Brooklyn teen was busted for allegedly making multiple threats to schools across Texas and Florida – even personally targeting...

Load More
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
The horrifying rape, torture murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin : True Crime Diva

The horrifying rape, torture murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin : True Crime Diva

May 29, 2023
Drunk driver who killed mother and son blamed the victims, phone calls with father reveal

Drunk driver who killed mother and son blamed the victims, phone calls with father reveal

September 22, 2024
Karen Styles: map of where a deer hunter found her body

The 1994 murder of Karen Styles

May 9, 2023
Mackenzie Shirilla

Father of Mackenzie Shirilla’s boyfriend doesn’t support life sentence

August 20, 2023
The Murder of Latanisha Carmichael – TRUE CRIME REPORT

The Murder of Latanisha Carmichael – TRUE CRIME REPORT

June 7, 2023
The Unsolved Murder of Karina Holmer – TRUE CRIME REPORT

The Unsolved Murder of Karina Holmer – TRUE CRIME REPORT

September 3, 2023
The tragic story of solo traveler Emma Kelty

The tragic story of solo traveler Emma Kelty

May 15, 2023
Karen Styles: map of where a deer hunter found her body

The 1994 murder of Karen Styles

0
Dwane Roy Dreher: photo of his 2nd wife, Lois Genzler Dreher at 16 years old

The 1955 disappearance of U.S. Navy veteran Dwane Roy Dreher

0
Alta Braun: professional photo taken when she was about 4 years old.

The 1917 unsolved murder of Alta Marie Braun

0
Vacation Nightmare: The gruesome murder of Janice Pietropola and Lynn Seethaler

Vacation Nightmare: The gruesome murder of Janice Pietropola and Lynn Seethaler

0
Kristi Nikle: photo of suspect Floyd Tapson

The 1996 disappearance of Kristi Nikle

0
Frank and Tessie Pozar: photo of their son, Frank Pozar, Jr.

Motel Mystery: What happened to Frank and Tessie Pozar?

0
Evil on The Road Part 4: Desmond Joseph Runstedler

Evil on The Road Part 4: Desmond Joseph Runstedler

0
Michigan dad Andre Broadenax brings along daughter, 11, to home burglary and ditches her when homeowner arrives: prosecutors

Michigan dad Andre Broadenax brings along daughter, 11, to home burglary and ditches her when homeowner arrives: prosecutors

May 9, 2025
Father of 15-year-old Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow faces felony charges

Father of 15-year-old Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow faces felony charges

May 9, 2025
Tweaked discovery laws still do not provide enough aid to boost liberal NY's abysmal conviction rate

Tweaked discovery laws still do not provide enough aid to boost liberal NY’s abysmal conviction rate

May 9, 2025
Fixes in Hochul's budget can curb crime and aid the mentally ill — IF cops, judges, DAs do their jobs

Fixes in Hochul’s budget can curb crime and aid the mentally ill — IF cops, judges, DAs do their jobs

May 9, 2025
NYC teen busted over threats to schools in Texas, Florida, targeting family of Uvalde massacre victim

NYC teen busted over threats to schools in Texas, Florida, targeting family of Uvalde massacre victim

May 8, 2025
Pt. 1: Fugitive Darren Berg on the Run – Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen

Pt. 1: Fugitive Darren Berg on the Run – Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen

May 8, 2025
Jennifer Aniston gate-crash suspect investigated for possible stalking: report

Jennifer Aniston gate-crash suspect investigated for possible stalking: report

May 8, 2025
Beyond the Crime Scene with Bee Astronaut

Categories

  • Featured
  • News
  • Podcast
  • True Crime Stories
  • Videos

Legal Pages

  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
  • DMCA

© 2023 All right reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • True Crime Stories
  • Videos
  • Podcast

© 2023 All right reserved.