Northampton Arson Arrest

Updated: Videos of arraignment and press conference added. Scroll down.

A 25-YR.-OLD MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED with one count of arson and two murder charges. The arrest comes after a dedicated arson task force set up after a series of arson in Northampton, Massachusetts, in the early-morning hours of Sunday, December 27. The stream of 18 fires, 11 of them in a span of 73 minutes, left two innocent people dead, a man and his son. See the Firegeezer video report HERE.

WCVB-TV Ch. 5 has this video report from this morning:

The Boston Globe is reporting:

Authorities arrested Anthony P. Baye, 25, last night [Monday...ed.] at the Northampton Police Department, according to a statement issued by Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel.

Baye is scheduled to be arraigned today in Northampton District Court on charges that also included armed burglary.

The statement from the district attorney did not say what led investigators to Baye or outline the evidence against him. It said that the charges stem from recent fires in Northampton, including a Dec. 27 blaze at 17 Fair St., where Paul Yeskie and his son, Paul Jr., were found dead.

The bodies of Paul Yeskie and his son Paul, Jr., were found
in this burned-out home. (The Republican / Treeger photo)

Paul Yeskie (l.) and Paul, Jr.

Baye was arrested at 8 pm last night at the police station and is being held without bail. He is scheduled for an arraignment in Northampton District Court. There is also a planned press conference for today on the developments. Firegeezer will update this story later today if any new facts warrant it.

Update, 5 pm Eastern:

Baye was arraigned in court this morning where he pleaded not guilty. At the request of the district attorney, the judge ordered Baye to be held without bail until his next hearing in March.

This raw video from WCVB-TV shows the entire procedure. For the first time we learn that Baye was detained and then held by the police very shortly after the arsons in the same area. After being inteviewed by detectives, it was determined that he was not being truthful and then later he admitted to setting the fire that killed the two men. Watch the entire video:

Shortly after the hearing, the District Attorney held this news conference where she reviewed the events of the case. This video is provided by WWLP-TV Ch. 25 Springfield: