OGDEN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Police say a man responsible for an arson fire earlier this week has been arrested in Oregon.
21-year-old Jason Scott Murray was taken into custody after police say he deliberately set an Ogden home on fire.
Police say Murray had a romantic relationship with a 17-year-old Ogden girl that began over the Internet a few years ago. The girl eventually ran away from home in June and went to live with Murray in Alberta. His last known address is listed in Bar Head, Alberta.
Then in August, police say the girl notified her family that Murray was abusing her and she came back to Ogden.
Upon returning to Ogden, the girl went into hiding, fearful that Murray might find and harm her, according to police.
Investigators say Murray made threats via e-mail over the Internet to the girl and her family until early Monday morning, when neighbors say they saw a young man milling about near the home of Alvin and Sherri Heath, the girl's grandparents.
Soon after, police say neighbors saw the home at 1087 37th Street in flames, and rushed in to save the Heaths. The girl was not inside the home, but was staying with another relative at the time of the fire. Alvin and Sherrie were unharmed, but they did lose a family pet in the fire. The Heaths also gratefully acknowledged the neighbors for saving their lives.
Police say that soon after the investigation began, the Heaths told them they knew who did it, and that Murray had been stalking their granddaughter.
Police began circulating pictures of Murray to taxi, bus and train company employees to see if anyone recognized him until a taxi driver recognized Murray from the picture. That led investigators to a bus company where they found that Murray had taken a bus to Washington state.
Investigators tracked the bus' location and worked with Police in Pendleton, Oregon who stopped the bus and arrested Murray, where he awaits extradition to Utah.
Police say Murray was staying at the Ogden Best Rest Inn while in Utah and left in a hurry. In an affidavit, police claim they found packaging for night vision goggles, a Co2 pellet gun, knives, duct tape, nylon ties, and pepper spray.
The affidavit also claims Murray's father sent Ogden fire officials copies of e-mails from the suspect to his father. In one e-mail, Murray says that if the 17-year-old girl, "...didn't cooperate more people are going to get hurt and more houses are going to burn. Last night was just a demonstration. The next target will not be so lucky."
The news of Murray's arrest came as quite a relief for the 17-year-old girl's grandparents, who now have to rebuild their home. Even with Murray behind bars, they fear for what might happen in the future. "I'm so fearful. I'm fearful for a lot of peoples lives. He's threatened so many people's lives we're all in danger if he ever gets loose," says Sherrie Heath.
Murray now faces at least one aggravated arson charge, He could face more charges, including attempted murder.
