Washington Man Kills Grandparents By Setting Their Home On Fire, Charged With Murder

A man in Pierce County, Washington, was arrested in connection with a house fire that killed his grandparents.

In a statement, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said deputies responded to a home in the 18800 block of Bayview Road NW in the Vaughn area around 8.30 p.m. on Sunday after receiving reports of the structure being on fire. It was engulfed in flames by the time the deputies arrived, and witnesses informed the officers they heard an explosion at the home.

“As Key Peninsula Fire Department worked to control the fire, they discovered a deceased man and woman in the basement of the home. Deputies searched the home and observed evidence in the house that indicated a homicide and arson had occurred, and determined that a vehicle was missing from the house,” the statement said.

Investigation revealed the 71-year-old man, his 73-year-old wife and their 26-year-old grandson lived in the home. The deputies immediately began searching for the missing grandson and the vehicle.

“At approximately 4:00 a.m. the missing vehicle was found parked outside of an apartment complex in the 6600 block of 150th St. SW in Lakewood. Detectives determined that the grandson’s girlfriend’s mother lived in the apartments, and our SWAT Team responded to the scene to assist with surveillance and an arrest,” the sheriff’s department said.

Three hours later, the grandson was taken into custody, charged with two counts of first-degree murder, and was booked into the Pierce County Jail. Investigation was ongoing to find out the motive behind the crime and the identity of the accused was not revealed.

The incident occurred days after a Utah woman set her home on fire while her toddler and her grandparents were inside. On May 10, police responded to a home after receiving reports that the structure was on fire. Witnesses told the officers 30-year-old Elizabeth Anne Ackman set a mattress in the basement of the home on fire while her 1-year-old child and her grandparents were inside. In the meantime, the accused attempted to punch an officer during arrest and also kicked another officer while being taken into jail. She was charged with one count each of first-degree felony aggravated arson, misdemeanor assault on an officer, and resisting arrest.