Ex-boyfriend of home-buyer suspected of arson

This story just got interesting.

On Sunday the City of Mountlake Terrace Police arrested and booked a suspect, a 55-year-old Mountlake Terrace resident, for investigation of arson.

Police were called to investigate a suspicious early morning fire at a single-family home in the 22500 block of 56th Avenue west. The vacant home appeared to have been burglarized and fires started in several places inside the home.

Officers initially responded to the home around 10:14 a.m., after a neighbor had seen smoke coming from the home and called 9-1-1. Snohomish County Fire District 1 crews were able to contain the fire to one room. Investigators located several areas in the home where fire accelerant had been used, along with what appeared to be a melted gasoline container in one of the rooms.

Detectives obtained information indicating that a female, who was attempting to purchase the home, had received several voicemail messages from her ex-boyfriend stating that he had set her house on fire. She was interviewed and copies of the recorded voice messages were obtained.

At 10:35 p.m. police attempted to contact the suspect at his home. The suspect attempted to flee out the back door but retreated inside when he saw police watching the back of the residence. The suspect refused to come to the door, answer his phone or respond to the officer’s instructions over the public address system.

An arrest warrant for the suspect was obtained. The warrant was served by officers from Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds, Brier and Lynnwood, who found the suspect hiding in a closet. Officers placed the suspect under arrest and booked him at the Snohomish County jail on the arson charge.

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