A Denver boy’s quest to retrieve his stolen iPhone ended in a tragic case of mistaken revenge, leading to a house fire that killed five members of a Senegalese family. Kevin Huy Bui pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for his role in the 2020 arson attack, which stemmed from a misdirected tracking of his iPhone to the victims’ home.
A tragic discovery was made more than 12 weeks after a fire destroyed an apartment building in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona area: a man’s body was found in the rubble, leading to manslaughter charges against a suspect already accused of arson. Ricardo Olivares, 70, had been reported missing by his family after the fire on January 26, 2024, but his remains were only discovered during a further search of the wreckage on April 22. The cause of death has been determined to be smoke inhalation, and the manner of death has been ruled a homicide. The accused, 44-year-old Jason Murray Zabos, was initially charged with arson and other offenses and is now facing additional charges in connection with Olivares’ death.
On April 21, 2023, a male suspect entered the parking lot of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Roman Catholic Parish in Calgary’s northeast and set a nativity display ablaze before fleeing on foot. The fire caused substantial damage to the church. Police describe the suspect as a male between 20 and 40 years old, approximately six feet tall, with a heavy build. He was last seen wearing a neon-yellow belt, black gloves, grey sweatpants, black running shoes, and a black backpack. Witnesses who may have relevant CCTV footage are urged to contact the Calgary Police Service at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers.
Peterborough police arrested a 32-year-old woman in connection with a series of garbage bin fires in the downtown area on Monday night. The suspect was identified using footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, which have proven to be an effective crime-fighting tool in the city. The woman was charged with five counts of arson and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. Police Chief Stuart Betts praised the CCTV program for its role in the swift arrest.
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) continues to investigate a rash of extortion incidents targeting South Asian home builders in the city, despite a recent decline in cases. The probe, known as Project Gaslight, involves 34 alleged incidents carried out by local suspects directed by someone in India. Extortion attempts have involved WhatsApp messages demanding large sums of money, leading to arson attacks on new or under-construction homes. EPS has arrested and charged several individuals in connection with the extortion series, and a series of surveillance videos have been released to identify additional suspects.
In a bizarre incident, Scott Goulding, 24, broke into a McDonald’s restaurant in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and stole a bag of food. CCTV footage captured Goulding entering the restaurant through a smashed window and fleeing with the loot. Two days later, Goulding was arrested for arson after setting fire to a flat in the same area. He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to both offenses.
Two unidentified bodies were discovered inside a house in Walthamstow, East London, after a fire thought to have been deliberately set. Police suspect the blaze may have been related to a prior incident outside the property. The victims’ identities are still being established, and their families are yet to be notified. Witnesses or individuals with doorbell or dashcam footage are urged to come forward with information. No arrests have been made as the murder inquiry continues.
A La Porte woman has been charged with arson and murder after a house fire killed one person. The victim, 72-year-old Connie Fortune, was temporarily living with the suspect, 34-year-old Sarah Flores. According to police, Flores confessed to lighting the fire. Fortune’s family and friends said tension had been building between the two women, and that Fortune wanted Flores to move out. Flores is due back in court Wednesday.
Arsonists have set fire to cypress trees in Fresno County cemeteries, leaving investigators without a motive or suspect. The fires began in January 2023, targeting old cypress trees across a 160-acre complex of six different cemeteries. Despite initial suspicions linking the fires to a nearby homeless encampment, the problem has escalated after the encampment was relocated.
Two weekend fires that ravaged the Wampanoag Country Club in West Hartford were likely not set intentionally, fire officials announced Tuesday. The first fire, on Saturday, was reported around the same time as the second fire on Sunday. Both fires caused extensive damage to the club’s buildings, with the second fire believed to be a continuation of the first. Despite the severity of the blazes, there were no reported injuries, and investigators do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the public. The investigation into the fires is ongoing, with assistance from the Connecticut State Police’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit and the West Hartford Police Department’s Detective Division.
