Bronx man charged in brutal double murder and arson of elderly Bellerose couple
Queens, NY – A 42-year-old Bronx man is facing a raft of charges including first-degree murder and arson after prosecutors say he brutally killed an elderly couple in their Queens home on Monday, then set the house on fire before fleeing with their belongings.
Jamel McGriff, of Creston Avenue in the Bronx, was arraigned late Thursday night on 37 criminal counts stemming from the deaths of 76-year-old Frank Olton and 77-year-old Maureen Olton inside their residence on 254th Street in Bellerose. Prosecutors say McGriff tied up and fatally stabbed Frank in the basement before killing Maureen in the living room and setting multiple fires throughout the house.
The couple was found dead by firefighters responding to a fire alarm around 3:15 p.m. Monday. According to the charges, Frank was discovered bound with a cord, tied to a pole, and suffering multiple stab wounds to his neck and chest. Maureen was found with extensive burns, a fractured larynx, and soot in her airways, indicating she was alive when the fire began.
McGriff was allegedly seen leaving the Oltons’ home at 3:08 p.m. carrying a duffle bag. Less than three hours later, he allegedly used Frank Olton’s stolen credit cards to purchase nearly $800 in merchandise at Macy’s in Manhattan, even providing his own store loyalty number at checkout.
By the following morning, McGriff allegedly sold the couple’s cell phones for cash at a Bronx electronics kiosk using his personal ID.
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The NYPD apprehended McGriff in Manhattan on Wednesday evening. He was formally charged with 12 counts of first-degree murder, multiple counts of burglary, robbery, arson, and identity theft. If convicted, he faces life in prison without parole.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz called the attack “a horrific double murder that has shocked our entire city,” adding that the crime has shattered the sense of safety for many in New York neighborhoods.
McGriff is being held without bail and is scheduled to return to court on Tuesday.
Key Points
- Jamel McGriff is charged with 37 counts including first-degree murder, arson, and robbery in connection with the deaths of Frank and Maureen Olton
- The victims, a retired elderly couple, were found murdered in their Bellerose home following a fire set by the suspect
- McGriff allegedly used stolen credit cards and sold the victims’ phones before being arrested in Manhattan