Loading...
Published 16:07 28 Nov 2022 GMT
A Texas dad has launched a GoFundMe after his ex-girlfriend allegedly burned his house down because she thought he was cheating.
On November 22, the Bexar County Sheriff's office issued a statement saying that 23-year-old Senaida Soto robbed and set fire to Tommy Garay's home after she FaceTimed his phone and another woman answered.
According to the police, the woman who answered the call turned out to be a relative of Garay, however, Soto is accused of lighting her ex-boyfriend's couch on fire, which caused flames to spread throughout the house.
Soto was arrested on Tuesday (November 22) and is facing felony burglary and arson charges, the sheriff’s office said. The fire caused over $50,000 in damages.
Read the police's statement below:Garay has since created a GoFundMe page to help cover the damages. He said that he was not home when Soto - who he said he dated for only a month - burned down the family home that he shared with his two-year-old daughter.
The father-of-one wrote that his property belongs to his grandfather and had been in the family for generations. He described his loss as "devastating" for his family.
"I called the fire department but unfortunately by the time they arrived everything I owned including my daughter's toys, clothes, shoes, etc was damaged/lost in the fire, this is such a devastating time for us, as this home, was the home my dad and I grew up in, this home has been part of my family for generations," Garay wrote.
"I never would have imagined me being a victim of such crimes, as we had only been in a relationship for a month, this is very traumatizing, especially for my daughter, asking why we can't we go home," he continued.
Garay said he is asking for help because he and his daughter "need it".
"If you can help my daughter and I get back on our feet it would be greatly appreciated," the doting father writes.
Police were called to the home on the 16000 block of Shepherd Road near Von Ormy around 1:45AM on Sunday (November 20), according to the sheriff’s office.
While in the midst of causing a blaze, Soto reportedly FaceTimed her ex and showed him a chair inside of his home on fire. She also reportedly texted him and said: "I hope your house is okay".
According to San Antonio Express-News, County jail records revealed that the ex-girlfriend is being held on a $164,000 bond.
As of November 28, Garay has raised $11,716 of his goal of $50,000. Donate to his fundraiser here.
Published 11:03 14 Mar 2026 GMT
A haunting message allegedly left by a father accused of deliberately blowing up his own home while his girlfriend and their three young children were inside has now been revealed.
Jacob Rabb was taken into custody on Monday (March 9) and charged with 25 counts, including attempted homicide, aggravated arson, and criminal mischief in connection with the April 22, 2022, explosion at a home in Plum, Pennsylvania.
At the time of the explosion, the 41-year-old, his then-girlfriend Laura Petty, and their three sons, aged 11, six, and two, were all inside the house but managed to escape.
Petty initially believed Rabb had saved the family from disaster, even calling him a hero who had rescued them from their "worst nightmare".
"If it wasn’t for Jake, we wouldn’t have made it out," she reportedly told police at the time, cited by the New York Post.
But more than a year later, after filing for a protection-from-abuse order against him in May 2023, she allegedly discovered disturbing handwritten notes hidden in her kitchen cabinets.
According to investigators, one message read: "If I can’t have her no one will or my kids see you all in hell," Penn Live reported. Another line in the note added: "P.S. I blew up the house."
Authorities say Rabb later broke into Petty's home on June 10, 2023, and allegedly held a knife to her throat while threatening to kill her.
"Let’s play a little game," he said before slicing his arm and threatening to provoke police to shoot him, according to the affidavit.
Police allege Rabb caused the explosion by disconnecting the gas line to the dryer, allowing gas to flow freely through the house before the blast.
During questioning related to the later break-in, he allegedly admitted he "disconnected the gas valve" from his ex’s dryer and turned on the gas, per PEOPLE.
He denied starting the 2022 explosion itself, telling investigators he wrote the confession note because he was suicidal. However, investigators say he admitted responsibility to at least two other people, including his father.
"Dad, I blew up the house," Rabb’s father told investigators, his son said, according to court documents.
A supervisor at a sober living home where Rabb stayed in November 2025 also told police that Rabb said he had planned to kill himself, his ex-girlfriend, and their children after having a final meal at Buffalo Wild Wings.
Police found the home engulfed in flames around 11:30PM on the night of the explosion, with windows blown out and the garage door thrown into the street. Two neighboring homes also suffered thousands of dollars in damage.
Rabb and Petty told investigators they had been asleep when the ceiling suddenly collapsed on them.
Their oldest son, who had been in the basement playing video games, said he smelled gas before the blast and suffered first-degree burns while escaping. "It's amazing they survived this incident," Holiday Park Fire Department Chief James Sim said.
Per CBS News, Lou Bellisario, a neighbor, said people in the community finally have some closure: "We are surprised only because we didn't know for the longest time what had caused the explosion.
"We had some contact with some of the arson investigators, and nobody knew what happened, so it definitely is a surprise to us," they added.
Rabb is being held at the Allegheny County Prison without bail because authorities believe he "poses a threat to [the] victim, witness or the community."
It is unclear whether he has entered a plea. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 18.
Published 10:22 02 Jun 2025 GMT
Published 12:19 11 Jan 2025 GMT
Published 12:30 09 Oct 2021 GMT
The family of a Texas student charged and released over a gun rampage at a high school that left four wounded set up a $25,000 fundraiser to treat his "trauma".
Alleged school shooter Tim Simpkin, 18, was released from police custody on Thursday, October 7, after a bail bondsman put up at least some of his $75,000 bail.
Simpkin is accused of opening fire in Timberview High School in Arlington, Texas, after a fight reportedly broke out in class.
The 18-year-old suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, according to authorities. When he was located by police, he was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
As reported by ABC News, there were four victims altogether - three of whom were students, and one who is thought to be a teacher.
Three out of the four victims were taken to hospital including a 15-year-old boy who had gunshot wounds and was in a critical condition, a 25-year-old man who suffered gunshot wounds but was in a good condition, and a teenage girl with abrasions who has now been discharged.
Now, Simpkin's family has set up a GoFundMe page following the ordeal in hopes of raising thousands to help the 18-year-old deal with the trauma of his father’s death.
"The fundraiser was removed from the platform because it violated GoFundMe Terms of Service," a statement provided to the Daily Mail read. "Less than $150 was raised and all donors have been refunded."
The original GoFundMe page was reportedly launched Thursday night by Dallas attorney Kim T. Cole and included a note from Simpkin's mother asking for monetary help for her son be able to afford treatment.
"My son has gone through a very traumatic experience," she writes. "He needs counseling and therapy."
However, since its launch, GoFundMe has reportedly removed the account, per Daily Mail.
A spokesman told Daily Mail on Friday, October 8: "The fundraiser was removed from the platform because it violated GoFundMe Terms of Service. Less than $150 was raised and all donors have been refunded."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has since released a statement about the shooting:
"Our hearts go out to the victims of this senseless act of violence. Thank you to the law enforcement officers and first responders who arrived on the scene to help the victims and prevent further violence.
"I have spoken with the Mayor of Arlington and offered any assistance the state can provide, and I have directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to make state resources available to help bring the criminal to justice."
Published 16:23 06 Dec 2024 GMT