BENSALEM, PA – A man from Michigan allegedly drove nearly 750 miles to set fire to a home in Pennsylvania, targeting a perceived romantic rival, authorities announced. Harrison Jones, 21, was arrested for what police described as an attack with “murderous intentions.”
Jones, a resident of Rockford, Michigan, traveled to Bensalem, Pennsylvania, where his former girlfriend planned to meet a man she’d been seeing online. According to Bensalem Police, Jones made the journey solo and allegedly set the family home aflame before driving back to Michigan.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of February 10, when a resident of the household was alerted by the family’s dog barking downstairs. Initially mistaking the hooded figure for her son, she returned to her bedroom, only to later find the house engulfed in flames during a second check.
All six family members managed to escape, sustaining only minor injuries, though they required hospital treatment for burns and smoke inhalation. Tragically, the family’s two dogs perished in the blaze.
Authorities discovered that a family member had intended to meet with a woman he’d been conversing with online since the start of the year—unaware that her “friend,” Jones, was instead orchestrating a plot. Surveillance footage from neighborhood cameras captured a person exiting a black Volkswagen on the street where the fire occurred, appearing to retrieve items before approaching the house.
Traffic cameras and automatic license plate readers further tracked the vehicle registered to a family member living with Jones in Michigan. Surveillance also positioned Jones at a local convenience store in Pennsylvania.
A search warrant for Jones’ home in Michigan, executed by Kent County Sheriff’s Department on February 13, reportedly revealed burn treatment supplies, gauze, and a lock-picking kit. At that location, police observed the same black Volkswagen linked to the incident. Jones’ father reportedly utilized a phone tracking app, which showed his son being in Pennsylvania shortly after the fire.
When questioned by police, Jones denied ever being in Pennsylvania, though officers noted a fresh burn on his forearm. He was subsequently arrested by local deputies and awaits extradition to Pennsylvania.
Jones faces a slew of charges, including six counts of attempted criminal homicide and four counts of arson, among others not disclosed. The case underscores the lengths jealousy can compel an individual to go, ending with potential life-altering consequences.