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Oakland County Sheriff's Office asks for public's help in fatal arson case

Posted at 1:52 PM, Mar 29, 2022
and last updated 2022-03-29 14:21:57-04

(WXYZ) — The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community’s help to find a person captured on camera moments before a fire engulfed a Pontiac home in January, killing two and injuring five. 

Officials say they have been unable to identify the person in the surveillance video; it shows a silhouette moving around near the suspected source of the fire on the ground floor.

Surveillance video: Oakland County Sheriff's Office asks for public's help in fatal arson case

The home was located in the 800 block of St. Clair Street near Kennett and Baldwin. Officials say a number of residents had jumped from second-floor windows during the January 17 fire because of the smoke and heat. Ten adults were in the home at the time of the fire; two were killed: 59-year-old Jeff Donnelly and 19-year-old Brandon Andrews.

We’re told there were eight bedrooms in the home, which housed men who were adjusting to life outside of prison.

The sheriff’s office is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading tot he arrest and conviction of the person accused of setting the fire. Officials say the fire has been ruled an arson and the deaths are considered homicides.

“We would greatly appreciate the public’s help in identifying this person or providing any other information that could further our investigation into these tragic deaths,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 248-858-5001 or the Detroit Crime Commission at 1-800-442-7766.