Arson suspect arrested after setting car on fire

Police say man set his ex-girlfriend's car on fire

DAVIE, Fla. – Police say a man was arrested after he set his ex-girlfriend's car on fire early Tuesday morning.

Davie police said they were called out at 1 a.m. Tuesday to investigate a fire that occurred.

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According to police, when they arrived, they saw the vehicle, a 2011 black Ford Fusion, fully engulfed in flames.

A plastic gas can was on fire when officers arrived and was 20 feet away from the burnt vehicle.

Police said the vehicle was parked in the driveway facing toward the home. No other property was damaged at the home.

At 12:14 am Tuesday, a police camera caught a small, late model 4-door vehicle driving slowly past the home from west to east. A still shot of that vehicle was printed.

Police said Denise Szeto co-owns the Ford Fusion with her ex-boyfriend, Israel Guadalupe.

Szeto told people she had ended their on-again, off-again two-year relationship with Guadalupe via text message at 5 p.m. Monday.

Szeto said that their car is insured in her name only and that she pays the insurance payments. She said Guadalupe had mentioned during previous breakups that he wanted their Ford Fusion that they co-own, even though he had another car.

Szeto said that Guadalupe had recently purchased a small, late model white 4-door Chrysler. When Szeto was shown the print out of the still shot, she said it appeared to be Guadalupe's car.

A person who was inside the home where the arson occurred said that on Monday at midnight, he walked outside and saw a small, white late model 4-door vehicle drive in front of his home from west to east.

As he walked toward the street, the car sped away.

The man walked back into his house. Police said 15 minutes later, he heard a loud explosion and went outside to find a car on fire.

Police showed the man the still shot print out of the vehicle. He said it matched the description of the one he had seen speed away as he walked outside before the fire.

Detectives surrounded the house until a search warrant was executed on the home at 2:50 p.m. Police said Guadalupe was not inside the home.

A window on the east side of the home was found open, according to police, with the screen inside the room where they believe Guadalupe had snuck out.

Police said Guadalupe was detained after he was located walking two blocks south of his home.

Post Miranda warnings, Guadalupe asked to speak with a lawyer and denied any involvement in the fire.

After speaking with him, police placed him along with another person in the same interview room, which was still being video and audio recorded.

While they were together, police said Guadalupe was heard telling the other person, "Why did you tell them you got burned? You should have told them you did that with a pressure cleaner. Don't worry about the car; it's in my name anyway.

Guadalupe was charged with second degree arson and child abuse-commit act that could result in physical or mental injuries.