Father, friend charged in fatal Scranton arson-insurance scheme
It was a simple plan, police said.
The scheme would net the trio a hefty payout from Kenowski's insurance, but something went wrong. Sweeting Jr. accidentally set off an explosion as he poured gasoline throughout the home on June 25,killing himself in the resulting inferno.
It is a disturbing case,
"It shocks the conscience that a father would allow their son, number one, to be involved with something like this . . . and secondly to drive away while their son is in a burning building," Graziano said at a press conference Tuesday announcing charges against Kenowski.
Kenowski, 49, also known as
Inspector
"The gasoline vapors probably mixed with oxygen," he said.
Arrest affidavits filed against Kenowski and Sweeting Sr. detail the painstaking investigation Monahan, Detective
According to the affidavits, firefighters responded to the fire at Kenowski's home at around
Those suspicions grew after they found a gas can and keys to the home's garage near Sweeting Jr.'s body. They also learned Sweeting Jr. was friends with Kenowski through his business, Electric City Yoga. For years, Kenowski had been trying to sell his home, which originally was listed at
The home was insured for
Investigators interviewed a person, identified as a "cooperating witness," who agreed to speak to Kenowski about the fire. In a
During a second conversation recorded on
Sweeting Sr. was tied to the case through interviews with him and cell phone records that showed he and his son travelled together from
During one of the calls they spoke for about a half hour. The records showed both their phones were "hitting" off a tower in
Police also learned Sweeting Sr. rented a white Chevy Malibu two days before the fire. Video cameras near Kenowski's home showed a white Malibu near it at around the time of the fire.
Kenowski was arraigned by
Contact the writer: [email protected]; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter.
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