Man torches estranged wife’s home with 3 children inside, Arizona police say
A 30-year-old man lit his estranged wife’s home on fire with three children inside on March 29, police in Arizona said.
Jajuann Jones’ wife has a protection order against him, the El Mirage Police Department said in a probable cause statement.
On March 14, two weeks before the fire was set, police said Jones stopped by her house uninvited, police said.
When she told him to leave her home, he became “verbally abusive” toward her and pulled out a gun, “racked the slide” and pointed it at her, police said.
He said “I don’t care if you call the police. I will kill you right here, right now,” according to police.
Their 7-year-old and 8-year-old children witnessed this interaction, police said. The woman also has a 3-year-old child.
Later that day, Jones returned to her home at stood at her front door for about 10 minutes before leaving, police said.
On March 28-29, he called her 25 times and sent threatening messages, saying he would “shoot her and blow up her house,” police said.
A person believed to be Jones was recorded on a surveillance camera at 2:44 a.m. on March 29 pouring liquid around on the front wall of the woman’s home to her front door before lighting it, police said.
The woman heard a loud bang and helped get her three children and a roommate out of the house safely, police said.
Police said a neighbor put the fire out with a garden house.
When police contacted Jones he denied setting the fire and said police would have to catch him.
He was arrested on multiple charges:
- Five counts of attempted murder
- Eight counts of endangerment
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Criminal damage
- Two counts of interfering with judicial proceedings
- Threatening or intimidating
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Four counts of disorderly conduct
Jones’ bail was set at $1 million. His next court hearing is April 7.
This story was originally published April 1, 2022 at 6:56 PM with the headline "Man torches estranged wife’s home with 3 children inside, Arizona police say."
