By Erika Hernandez
A man was arrested in Florida after allegedly set fire to his home, return hours later to start another fire and stab a man to death who tried to stop him.
The suspect, William Michael Larsen, 37, was arrested after an extensive search in the Floral Metropolis area of Citrus County.
The authorities described the operation as a full deployment to find his whereabouts.
Caused several fires
Officers responded shortly after midnight to a house fire. The homeowner, identified as Larsen, was not at the scene when emergency crews arrived.
He was later located and questioned by authorities in relation to that incident.
Hours later, around 6:13 a.m., Larsen returned to the area and allegedly set fire to a shed on a nearby property.
During that incident, a man tried to intervene to put out the flames.
According to witnesses, Larsen attacked the man with a knife, causing fatal injuries before fleeing the scene in a van.
The victim died at the scene. Although his identity has not been officially revealed, relatives indicated that he was the long-term partner of the suspect’s mother.
Capture after chase
Authorities located the abandoned truck in a wooded area in Inverness, a few minutes from the scene.
Shortly after, they received reports of an individual matching the suspect’s description walking in the area, allowing for his arrest without incident.
Larsen faces multiple serious charges, including arson and first-degree premeditated murder.
Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the events.
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