Inset: Carmello S. Latorre. Background: The home in the 1200 block of Aster Drive in Glen Burnie, Md., that Latorre allegedly set on fire (WBZ/YouTube).
A Maryland man allegedly set his girlfriend’s house on fire after he threatened to make her eat her dead son’s ashes and kill her.
Carmello S. Latorre stands accused of attempted murder, arson and assault.
The Anne Arundel County Fire Department said in a press release that it responded around 12:30 p.m. July 21 to a fire in the 1200 block of Aster Drive in Glen Burnie, a Baltimore suburb.
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Arson investigators determined Latorre “intentionally set” the fire. According to an arrest warrant obtained by local CBS affiliate WBZ, the victim recorded part of the argument she had with Latorre.
He was drunk and began breaking items in the house and throwing feces at her, the affidavit reportedly said. He also allegedly threatened to make her eat her dead son’s ashes.
“I’m getting out of here,” he reportedly said. “I’m going to burn it to the ground… You’re going to die in this house.”
Latorre allegedly set the house on fire using the gas stove before leaving, with his girlfriend and pets still inside. The girlfriend called 911 and safely escaped. Firefighters rushed to the home, where they quickly extinguished the fire.
A neighbor recounted the ordeal in an interview with WBZ.
“I saw a lot of flames coming from my neighbor’s house on the top of the roof,” he said.
He said the situation could have been much worse and affected more people if the flames spread to other homes.
“It’s really sad to know that this person, I think, was being selfish because my house could have also caught on fire and a lot of people would have suffered from that type of act,” he told the outlet.
Latorre is in the Anne Arundel County Jail without bond. His next court date is set for Aug. 18.
The post ‘You’re going to die in this house’: Man told girlfriend he would make her eat dead son’s ashes before he set her house on fire, cops say first appeared on Law & Crime.
