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Michael Sanders, 23, of Trenton, was charged on Monday with three counts of first-degree felony murder, arson and assault in the early Friday fire that killed three relatives, the Mercer County prosecutor said.
Sanders was arrested on Monday morning at a hotel in Plainsboro, Middlesex County, according to Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri.
Multiple surveillance cameras placed Sanders at or near the scene of the fatal fire shortly before and after, as well as of the suspect returning to his home in Trenton, Onofri said.
Text messages and witness accounts also allegedly made Sanders a suspect, the prosecutor said.
The fire started at about 3:40 a.m. on the 200 block of Woodlawn Avenue in Hamilton Township, officials said. The fire quickly engulfed the home causing a partial roof collapse.
The baby, identified as Malani Sanders, and her 42-year-old grandmother, Tiffany Abrams-Jones, were found dead at the scene, authorities have said.
Three other people were taken to an area hospital with burn injuries.
Prince Jones, 50, died of his injuries on Sunday, authorities said.
Tiffany Abrams-Jones and Prince Jones were the baby's grandparents.
Detectives reviewed surveillance video from neighborhood cameras as well as a nearby gas station where he allegedly bought cigars and a torch lighter, Onofri said.
One witness told detectives that during the night leading up to the fire, one of the residents of 213 Woodlawn Ave., who is the mother of the deceased baby, received a text message from the baby’s father, Michael Sanders, telling her to get their baby out of the house, the prosecutor said.
Detectives determined that Sanders took a taxi from an area near his residence in Trenton and was dropped off about one block from 213 Woodlawn Ave. shortly after 3 a.m. Friday, Onofri said.
Sanders, wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt with the hood over his head, a mask, and white gloves, walked past the residence towards Greenwood Avenue about 15 minutes before the fire started, he said.
Detectives obtained surveillance video from the Fast Trac Gas Station on Greenwood Avenue about 10 minutes before the fire, which showed Sanders making a purchase of what appears to be a dark colored torch lighter and cigars, according to Onofri said.
During this purchase, Sanders allegedly removed the mask covering his face, the prosecutor said.
Sanders left the store and was observed walking on Woodlawn Avenue back in the direction of 213 Woodlawn, he said.
About four minutes after Sanders passed that camera, the reflection of light from the fire at 213 Woodlawn can be seen on the video, the prosecutor said.
Additional video captured Sanders walking back to his residence on Bayard Street in Trenton, Onofri said.
When he arrived on Bayard, he was no longer wearing a mask or gloves, the prosecutor said. Additionally, he was no longer wearing the dark hooded sweatshirt.
After reviewing this video, detectives reportedly canvassed that area and recovered a dark hooded sweatshirt a few doors down from Sanders’ residence in the bottom of a basement stairway, Onofri said.
An investigation is ongoing by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Unit, the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the Hamilton Police Division.
Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Jennifer Eyster at 609-989-6406. Information can also be emailed to mchtftips@mercercounty.org.
Additional photos of firefighters battling the fatal fire can be seen by clicking on BreakingNewsOfTrenton
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