A serial arsonist who lit one man on fire, killing him, and tried to burn another in the H Street and Trinidad area has been arrested and charged with First Degree Murder, police said.
The 25-year-old Southeast resident was arrested Tuesday, May 19, police said. He is charged in the death of 62 year-old Darryl Finney, of no fixed address. Police and DC Fire were called to the 900 block of H Street NE, where they found Finney suffering from burns to his lower extremities, in addition to his personal belongings being destroyed.
Finney was transported to an area hospital for treatment but died as a result of his injuries on Friday, May 15.
Police think the suspect set up to four fires in the H Street or Trinidad area.
At around 12:38 a.m. Wednesday, May 13, a man reported that he was on the 1300 block of H Street NE when an unknown suspect walked by and threw a shirt doused with an unknown flammable liquid. The shirt landed on him, but the victim was able to get away without any injury.
The victim described the suspect as a black male, approximately 5 foot 5 inches tall and weighing around 150 lbs, wearing a tan coat, blue jeans and a black hat.
A few minutes later, DC FEMS was called to two more fires in the area. At 1:22 a.m., they were called to a car fire on the 1300 block Florida Avenue NE, and at 1:38 a.m., they put out a front porch fire at an unoccupied house on the 1400 block Morse St NE. Investigation revealed that both were intentionally set.
In addition to First Degree Murder, the defendent was charged with Assault with Intent to Kill, Destruction of Property and two Counts of Arson.
