A manhunt was under way after a 76-year-old man and his 77-year-old wife were found dead inside their Queens home following a blaze that authorities say was set deliberately.
Police identified the suspect as 42-year-old Jamel McGriff and said he approached houses in the neighborhood asking to be let in to charge his phone before entering the victims’ home on Monday. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, officers discovered the bodies of Frank and Maureen Olton, officials said. Frank Olton was found repeatedly stabbed and bound to a pole in the basement with a bungee cord and wire, and Maureen Olton was found badly burned on the first floor.
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed the suspect approaching several homes and engaging with one homeowner before entering the Olton residence, police said. The suspect was seen leaving the home about five hours later carrying two bags, according to authorities. He was later identified by his parole officer after being captured on camera at the scene, officials said.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch urged residents to exercise caution, saying the suspect’s apparent method is to "go door to door, asking for some kind of assistance until he can gain entry." "So do not allow anyone you don’t know or who you are not expecting into your home," she said.
Tisch said McGriff remained on the run as of Wednesday and had been seen pawning two cell phones in the Bronx on Tuesday. He was out on parole after serving more than 16 years for a 2006 first-degree robbery conviction and has a criminal record that dates back three decades, police said. Authorities also said he is wanted in connection with two armed robberies in Manhattan in July and August.
Councilwoman Linda Lee said the suspect was recorded on electronic doorbell cameras approaching several houses in the area before entering the Olton home. Police said there was no known connection between McGriff and the victims.
Family members described the Oltons as longtime neighborhood residents. Their nephew, Sean Kelly, told The New York Times the couple were "amazing people" who "did not deserve this." Neighbors and local officials said the killings have shaken the community.
Investigators are continuing to review surveillance video and other evidence as they search for McGriff. Authorities asked anyone with information to contact local police. The investigation is ongoing.