Man accused of torturing and burning elderly Queens couple charged with murder

Suspect in Queens double murder charged

The man accused of torturing and burning an elderly couple to death inside their Queens home has been formally charged.

QUEENS - The man accused of torturing and burning an elderly couple to death inside their Queens home has been formally charged.

What we know:

Police say 42-year-old Jamel McGriff of the Bronx was arrested Wednesday, two days after a fire tore through the Bellerose home of 76-year-old Frank Olton and his 77-year-old wife, Maureen.

Investigators discovered Frank bound and stabbed in the basement, while Maureen was found severely burned on the first floor. 

Authorities allege McGriff set the home on fire before fleeing.

According to the NYPD, McGriff was arrested as part of the ongoing homicide and arson investigation. 

On Thursday, he was charged with 16 counts of murder, three counts of robbery, five counts of burglary, two counts of grand larceny, four counts of kidnapping, two counts of arson, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, three counts of identity theft and four counts of criminal possession of stolen property.

Dig deeper:

McGriff has been described by authorities as a career criminal with a rap sheet spanning three decades. 

In 2006, McGriff was convicted of robbery and spent 16 years behind bars. Police say his criminal activity continued after his release. 

In July, he allegedly robbed a GameStop in Harlem, and just weeks later, in August, he entered a Verizon store in Manhattan, where he forced an employee into a back room at gunpoint.

Investigators later determined the weapon was fake, but his parole officer confirmed his identity in both incidents.

The backstory:

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said McGriff used a familiar tactic to approach the Oltons, knocking on their door and asking for help. Video shows Frank Olton speaking with him outside before letting him inside the house. Tisch emphasized there was no prior relationship between the suspect and the victims beyond that encounter.

According to the FDNY, the fire began Monday just after 3 p.m. at the couple’s home near 200th Street and 87th Drive. Flames broke out on the first floor and quickly spread. The Oltons’ son, an FDNY EMT, was alerted to the blaze by the home’s ADT alarm system and rushed to the scene.

Police warn that McGriff often poses as someone seeking assistance in order to gain entry into homes. "His method is to go door to door asking for some kind of help until he can get inside," Tisch said.