ROCKFORD, Mich. (WXYZ) — The man from West Michigan charged with attempted murder for an arson case out of a Philadelphia suburb waived his right to an extradition hearing.
Harrison Jones of Rockford is accused of setting fire to a home in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania. on Feb. 10. Six people inside the home escaped with their lives.
Investigators say Jones drove over 11 hours to the house, set an explosive device, and then made the return trip to Michigan.
The motive is believed to stem from his ex-girlfriend's new relationship. Jones was supposed to drive his former girlfriend to Pennsylvania to meet up with a 21-year-old man she was talking with online. Instead, Jones may have left on his own with "murderous intent."
The 21-year-old lived with his parents, a sibling and elderly grandparents in the home. His mother woke up to the family's dogs alerting her to the fire. She was able to wake the others before it was too late.
At least three of them had to jump from a second-story window.
Sadly, the two dogs who sounded the alarm died in the fire.
The only clue investigators had was grainy home surveillance video that captured a black sedan stopping near the home around 5 a.m. The person inside walked out to the home and 15 minutes later ran back to the vehicle. It sped off just as smoke started coming from the home's backyard.
Detectives used township intersection cameras to identify and track the vehicle entering and exiting the township. While in Bensalem Township, the car passed through an intersection with Automated License Plate Readers and detectives learned that the 2021 black Volkswagen Passat had a Michigan registration.
The vehicle came back as being owned by Brian Jones of Rockford. An additional search of various license plate readers across Pennsylvania allowed detectives to track the vehicle traveling toward Bensalem Township before the fire and back toward Michigan after the fire.
At the request of Pennsylvania investigators, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for Harrison Jones' residence and seized the 2021 Volkswagen Passat, lock-picking devices, a cell phone and a computer. When the deputies met up with Harrison Jones, he also had what appeared to be burns on his arm.
Police in Pennsylvania now have 15 days to pick up Harrison Jones and take him to face their legal system.
The family, which now has no place to call home, issued a statement to the local FOX station.
"From the entire Zalenski Family, we want to express our deepest gratitude to the incredible first responders, law enforcement officials, and emergency personnel who came to our aid last Monday. It is by the grace of God and the help of all those individuals that we made it out of our home safely and survived. While we lost everything, including our beloved pets Trey and Jett, we're forever grateful for the swift and courageous response from the Bensalem Police Department, Firefighters, EMS, medical professionals, and of course the Bucks County Detectives, all who cared for us in the aftermath and since this tragedy. Their dedication and bravery helped save our lives, and we will never forget what they did for our family.
We are overwhelmed at the outpouring of love and support from our family, community, friends, and even strangers. This has been one of the darkest and most difficult times in our lives, however, the kindness and love we've received from so many around us has given us so much hope and inspiration. The messages, donations, and pure kindness have lifted us up when we've needed it most. We are also thankful for the generous support we've received through the GoFundMe campaign launched by our family which will help us begin rebuilding our lives. For those who wish to contribute, you can find the fundraiser at this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-the-zalenski-family-in-overcoming-horrible-tragedy.
Trey and Jett were our two-family dogs, who will forever be missed. They both acted quickly and fearlessly by notifying Stacy that danger was present and alerting us of the fire, ultimately saving our lives. It's because of them that we were all able to mobilize and get out of our house. Here is a link to a fundraiser for them:
Trey and Jett's fundraising page for Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
As we continue to heal and piece our lives back together, we remain eager to learn more about the motive and intent behind this tragic event. We trust in the ongoing efforts of the Bucks County authorities and are confident that the investigation will provide the answers we seek. Our family is so grateful to have what feels like the entire community standing behind us. As we begin rebuilding our lives, we kindly ask for space, time, and your patience.
Thank you so much for standing with us and for having our back."
