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Hector Lobo has been charged on a warrant with aggravated arson, unlawful possession of a weapon, theft, and criminal mischief early Saturday, July 6, Wayne Police Chief Jack McNiff said.
Police were called to reports of flames coming from the back of a Totowa Road home around 1 a.m., where Officer Adrian Valentin knocked on the door of the home and made contact with the homeowner.
Valentin evacuated the home, found a fire extinguisher and put out the visible flames at the back door, police said.
Wayne Fire Department Companies 1 and 2 arrived and alerted officers to the odor of gasoline in the area of the fire. Gasoline was seen around the outside of the home, indicating that the fire was likely intentionally set, according to McNiff. The scene was secured as a crime scene while waiting for the arrival of arson investigators.
Around 6:10 a.m., Valentin had been stationed to secure the crime scene when a resident of a neighboring home approached him saying that he had found a suicide note left by a housemate, identified as Lobo.
The note said that he had set fire to the neighbor’s house and had stolen his housemate’s handgun and was going to commit suicide, McNiff said.
As it turns out, Lobo had broken into his housemate’s gun safe by cutting the locks off of it, the chief said.
Valentin alerted dispatch and multiple police units began a search for Lobo. Totowa Police, New Jersey State Police and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office responded.
Wayne Police Sgt Mark Ciavirella assumed command of the search for Lobo, whose cell phone number was obtained from the housemate and an emergency electronic ping was requested from the phone service provider.
The ping tracked the phone to Totowa Road, and a perimeter was set around the area. A Sheriff’s Office K9 attempted to track Lobo, and the Passaic County Golf Course was advised to hold all golfers off of the course. An updated ping showed the phone to be in a wooded area close to the original crime scene, where Valentin searched the wooded area behind the house and found Lobo, armed with the handgun in his waistband, McNiff said.
Valentin radioed his position and was quickly joined by Wayne Police Officer Nicole Mott and others. Valentin ordered Lobo to keep his hands up. Following a discussion to calm Lobo, Valentin and Mott approached Lobo, disarmed him, and took him into custody without further incident.
An ambulance was called to the scene and Lobo was transported to a hospital for evaluation, then charged pending a detention hearing.
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