Very sad case, a sex offender was targeted for a debt but was not hurt during the arson, instead an innocent 82-yr old lady living in same apartment building was killed.See UPDATE
7-2-15 New York:
TROY -- Three people were arraigned Thursday in Rensselaer County Court for their alleged roles in a Lansingburgh fire that caused an 82-year-old woman to have a fatal heart attack.
Last week, a grand jury handed up first- and second-degree murder charges against Tyler Smith, 24, of Castleton; and Abbey Slaga, 20, and David Stanley, 22, both of Frankliton, N.C.
Grace Halpin was rescued from the May 1 fire at 520 Second Ave. but died nearly a month later.
Smith, Slaga and Stanley previously were charged with arson in connection with the fire.
They also are charged with assault, criminal mischief, burglary and 10 counts of reckless endangerment, one for each of the other residents of 520 Second Ave. who escaped the blaze.
Halpin had a heart attack at the scene and was revived but died May 23 in a rehabilitation center, officials have said.
"This has been a very difficult time for the family," Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove said last week. "They lost a vibrant, active 82-year-old relative."
According to court documents, witnesses said the three had an ongoing feud with a man who lived on the second floor of the building. A witness who lived in the building said she heard a commotion just after 2 a.m.
"I heard someone run up the inside common stairs and yell 'You (expletive) rapist' and then I heard a 'pop, pop' noise then another loud pop sound," the woman wrote in her statement. She said the speaker was a man.
Officials have declined to say how the fire was set, but a witness gave a statement that said he saw someone throw a Molotov cocktail into the building.
A video from the night of the fire taken from across the street appeared to show three people fleeing the building, one of them with his pants on fire.
The fire spread to 518 Second Ave. Both buildings were heavily damaged and are boarded up. ..Source.. by TimesUnion.com
Lansingburgh arson: Trio charged with murder
6-27-15 New York:
Tyler Smith, Abbey Slaga and David Stanley face to be arraigned next week
A grand jury investigating a Lansingburgh arson has determined the crime caused the death of an 82-year-old woman who was rescued but died nearly a month later.
Three people currently charged with arson in connection to the May 1 blaze were indicted Friday on first- and second-degree murder, arson, assault, criminal mischief, burglary and 10 counts of reckless endangerment, one for each of the other residents of 520 Second Ave. who escaped the blaze.
Arraignments will likely be sometime next week for Tyler Smith, 24, of Castleton; and Abbey Slaga, 20, and David Stanley, 22, both of Frankliton, N.C.
Grace Halpin, who lived in a first-floor apartment in the building, was rescued but had a heart attack at the scene. She was revived but died May 23 in a rehabilitation center, officials have said.
"This has been a very difficult time for the family," said Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove. "They lost a vibrant, active 82-year-old relative."
Abelove would not provide details on Halpin's specific cause of death or on the motive for the arson.
"The grand jury considered, given the evidence before them, that murder charges were appropriate," Abelove said.
All three defendants are in the county jail without bail.
They were arrested in North Carolina earlier this month after authorities said they fled the city.
According to court documents, witnesses said the three had an ongoing feud with a man who lived on the second floor of the building. A witness who lived in the building said she heard a commotion just after 2 a.m. that morning.
"I heard someone run up the inside common stairs and yell 'You (expletive) rapist' and then I heard a 'pop,' 'pop' noise then another loud pop sound," the woman wrote in her statement. She said the speaker was a man.
Officials have declined to say how the fire was set, but a witness gave a statement that says he saw someone throw a Molotov cocktail into the building.
A video from the night of the fire taken from across the street appeared to show three people fleeing the building, one of them with his pants on fire.
The fire spread to 518 Second Ave. Both buildings were heavily damaged and are now boarded up. ..Source.. by Bob Gardinier
Lansingburgh fatal arson suspects arraigned
6-18-15 New York:
TROY -- The final two of three suspects in a May 1 fatal fire were arraigned Thursday on first-degree arson charges in Troy City Court.
Abbey Slaga, 21, formerly of East Greenbush and Tyler Smith, 24, formerly of Castleton were returned Wednesday night from North Carolina, where they had been arrested as fugitives from justice. Smith had nothing to say as his attorney Rob Molloy entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Slaga was quick to correct visiting Judge David Wukitsch's pronunciation of her last name. "It's Slaga," she abruptly responded, stressing a long first 'a.'
Her attorney Craig Crist entered a not guilty plea.
David Stanley, 22, formerly of East Greenbush, had waived extradition and was returned to Troy last week to be arraigned on the arson charge.
First Assistant Rensselaer County District Attorney Jessica Hall said a grand jury is investigating the case and all three suspects may be indicted on county charges later this month.
Slaga and Smith were denied bail and sent to the county jail, where Stanley is also being held without bail.
The three had fled to North Carolina, where they were arrested earlier this month and held in jail while awaiting extradition to New York.
Gladys Halpin, 82, who was pulled from the apartment building fire at 520 Second Ave., died May 23 in a rehabilitation center.
If the grand jury hears evidence that the fire contributed criminally to Halpin's death, the trio could face stiffer charges.
First-degree arson carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
According to statements handed up to the court Thursday, witnesses said the three defendants had an ongoing feud with a man who lived on the second floor of 520 Second Avenue.
One witness who lived in the building said she heard a commotion just after 2 a.m. that morning.
"I heard someone run up the inside common stairs and yell 'You (expletive) rapist' and then I heard a 'pop', 'pop' noise then another loud pop sound," the woman wrote in her statement. She added that the speaker was a man.
Officials have declined to say how the fire was set, but a witness made a statement released Thursday that says he saw them throw a Molotov cocktail into the building.
A video from the night of the fire appeared to show three people fleeing the building.
The fire spread to 518 Second Ave. There were 14 people inside, including several children.
Both buildings were heavily damaged and are boarded up and the investigation continues. ..Source.. by Bog Gardinier
2 suspects go to Troy in fatal arson
6-9-15 New York:
2 waive extradition, 3rd to have hearing in North Carolina
Two of the three suspects in the fatal May 1 arson have waived extradition from North Carolina while the third will have a hearing next week on returning to Troy, a spokesman for Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove said Monday.
The three are charged with first-degree arson for allegedly setting the fire, which authorities now believe caused the death of Gladys Halpin, 82.
Halpin was rescued from the 520 Second Ave. apartment building fire, during which she suffered a heart attack. Firefighters were able to revive her and get her to the hospital. She died May 23 at Bay State General Hospital in Massachusetts. Final autopsy results have not yet been released.
On Sunday, David Stanley, 22, of East Greenbush, was arraigned in City Court and sent to the jail without bail, police spokesman Capt. Daniel DeWolf said. He had previously waived extradition in North Carolina before being brought to Troy.
On Monday, Tyler Smith, 24, formerly of Castleton, waived his extradition at a hearing in Raleigh, N.C., and will be back in Troy by the end of the week, said Jonathan Desso, a spokesman for Abelove.
Abby Slaga, 21, of East Greenbush, did not waive extradition because she wanted to consult with an attorney, Desso said. Slaga's hearing will be June 16 in Franklin County, N.C. She will continue to be held on a fugitive from justice warrant in the Franklin County Jail without bail.
Stanley, Slaga and Smith were arrested last week by Raleigh police and Franklin County deputies on fugitive warrants issued in Troy. City detectives took part in the arrests.
DeWolf said detectives would return to Raleigh to bring back Smith.
According to Stanley's arrest report and criminal complaint, at least two people have given statements to police about what they saw and heard that night.
Those witnesses said Monday that the three defendants and a man who lived on the second floor of 520 Second Ave. had a feud over money that was apparently stolen from the tenant.
"They spray painted 'Rapo' on his door and on the building," said one witness who did not want his name used. "He was a Level 1 sex offender, we were told, but it sounded to me like they were arguing over money. I could smell the gasoline they used to set the fire outside his door." The target of the flames was convicted of a sex crime in 2004, officials said.
Another witness said she had just come home from work that night and heard the argument and went to see what was going on.
"Then I saw the whole building just go 'boom' and saw the three people run out the door, one on fire. I then rushed around to make sure everyone was getting out."
Smith had been out of state prison for just a week before he allegedly took part in setting the fatal fire, according to authorities and New York state inmate records. He had been in prison for attempted burglary in Rensselaer County.
The three fled to the home in North Carolina of a relative of one of the suspects.
Officials said all three were friends and Slaga was involved in a romantic relationship with one of the men, but they did not specify which one.
Officials declined to say how the fire was set.
A video from the night of the fire appeared to show three people fleeing the building at 520 Second Ave.
The fire spread to neighboring 518 Second Ave. next door. Both buildings were heavily damaged and are now boarded up.
The investigation continues, and authorities have not ruled out additional charges.
The May 1 fire has not been linked to an earlier string of 13 fires set in Lansingburgh between July 2014 and February 2015, police said. ..Source.. by Kenneth Crowe
Troy police consider charges after arson death
5-27-15 New York:
LANSINGBURGH - An autopsy was being done Tuesday on a woman who died recently, weeks after being pulled from a fire in Lansingburgh.
Right now this is an arson investigation. We don't know the results of the autopsy yet, but depending on what they are, someone could be charged in connection with her death.
There is a memorial set up here at the scene for Grace Halpin. Neighbors say they want the people responsible for setting the fire, caught.
The apartment building on Second Avenue is boarded up and vacant now. Authorities say someone used gasoline to set the fire that started in the front of the building in the early morning hours of May 1. At least a dozen people were left homeless by the fire.
Firefighters say Halpin, who was in her 80s, was found in cardiac arrest on the first floor when they pulled her out of the burning building in a dangerous rescue.
Halpin died recently after weeks of treatment.
“She was a sweet lady, I used to talk to her every day, she used to sit out here,” recalled Bill Allen, who lives next door. He remembers the night the fire began.
“I was out late until about two in the morning filming, I like to film the stars. I went in right about quarter after two, two thirty. My dog around three o'clock wanted to go out and I opened the door and all of a sudden, there's fire people everywhere,” he remembered.
Sources close to the investigation say they believe a man who was living in the building may have been the target, and that he's a Level 1 sex offender.
Police say they have video of the beginning of the fire.
Investigators do not believe this fire is related to other suspicious fires that have plagued the neighborhood.
Outside the building on Second Avenue, there is a now a makeshift memorial with flowers and candles. On one bouquet, someone wrote, "To Grace, RIP Angel."
Allen says setting a fire was a cowardly thing to do, and he wants whoever is responsible to be brought to justice.
“We're trying to get out of here now. It's scary. It really is, you know. You kind of sleep with one eye open, one ear open, you know,” Allen admitted.
Police say they will be meeting with the district attorney on Wednesday. ..Source.. by WNYT Staff
Police interview suspect possibly connected to Lansingburgh arson
LANSINGBURGH, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Police have interviewed at least one suspect they believe is connected to a Lansingburgh arson that displaced 13 people.
Firefighters responded to a fire around 2:30 a.m. May 1 at 250 Second Ave. Thirteen people, including three young children, were displaced and an elderly woman nearly lost her life.
Police believe the fire was an act of retaliation against Level One sex offender David DuBois who lived on the second floor with his family.
Security footage taken that morning shows three potential suspects rushing from the building. Two of the suspects were badly burned, according to authorities. Law enforcement sources confirm that one of the suspects was recently questioned about the fire while being treated at a burn center in Syracuse.
Mary Teal lived in the building. “I would say not sad that you are burned and that you need to take time in jail and thin about what you’ve done to all these people,” she said.
No arrests have been made, but they are expected to come soon. by Anya Tucker
Overnight fire in Lansingburgh deemed suspicious
ANSINGBURGH, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A fire that almost claimed the life of an elderly woman and left more than a dozen homeless may have been an act of revenge.
Firefighters responded to a fire around 2:30 a.m. Friday at 250 Second Ave.
One of the many displaced residents, Debra Febra, said she witnessed the fire firsthand and heard a loud explosion. Febra said she frantically knocked on her neighbors’ doors to wake them up.
“We could’ve all died,” she said. “It wasn’t an empty building. We could’ve died. If I wasn’t up watching T.V., I would’ve been dead. My neighbors would’ve been dead. There were babies there. We had an elderly lady that was trapped and she couldn’t get out.”
The American Red Cross and Mayor Lou Rosamilia were at the scene Friday morning to look at the damage and pay respect to those who lost their home.
“If there’s someone of that nature who has total disrespect for human life – and that’s what I see in this situation – if it was an arson, just total disrespect for human life, we are going to work vigilantly; get that person or those involved and put an end to it once and for all,” Rosamilia said.
Officials close to the investigation said the intended target of the fire appears to be a Level One sex offender named David Dubois Jr. He lived on the second floor where the fire started.
Dubois was convicted in 2004 of Sexual Misconduct. Troy police said he was arrested again in January for failing to register.
“I know I heard, ‘You rapist,’” Febra said. “I know I heard that, and I said, ‘What the hell is going on?’ and I saw it go boom! And I said, ‘Oh, my God.’”
Volunteers from the American Red Cross provided emergency aid to multiple families, totaling 13 people. The Red Cross provided financial assistance for food and clothing to ten adults and three children. Volunteers also provided temporary shelter to ten of those displaced by the fire.
“So, yes, I’m angry,” Febra said. “Settle your disputes with the police. Don’t start a fire.”
All residents made it out of the building, but according to Troy Fire Chief Tom Garrett, one woman in cardiac arrest was rescued from the first floor. Crews were able to restore the woman’s breathing, and she was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital. Garrett said she is doing remarkably well and currently recovering.
Troy police said there have been more than a dozen intentional fires in this particular area of Lansingburgh since last July. The unsolved arsons remain a concern for residents.
Authorities said they are continuing to investigate the fire but are not saying if they believe it is related to last summer’s fires.
No arrests have been made. by Carmen Chau, Anya Tucker
Police interview suspect possibly connected to Lansingburgh arson
5-12-15 New York:
LANSINGBURGH, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Police have interviewed at least one suspect they believe is connected to a Lansingburgh arson that displaced 13 people.
Firefighters responded to a fire around 2:30 a.m. May 1 at 250 Second Ave. Thirteen people, including three young children, were displaced and an elderly woman nearly lost her life.
Police believe the fire was an act of retaliation against Level One sex offender David DuBois who lived on the second floor with his family.
Security footage taken that morning shows three potential suspects rushing from the building. Two of the suspects were badly burned, according to authorities. Law enforcement sources confirm that one of the suspects was recently questioned about the fire while being treated at a burn center in Syracuse.
Mary Teal lived in the building.
“I would say not sad that you are burned and that you need to take time in jail and thin about what you’ve done to all these people,” she said.
No arrests have been made, but they are expected to come soon. ..Source.. by Anya Tucker
No comments:
Post a Comment