Surveillance cameras caught a 35-year-old man setting a small fire outside a North Miami home, then coming back to spark it up again while a woman slept inside, according to police. Officers arrested Royer Eliezer Pantabillu on Wednesday and booked him on counts of first-degree arson and possession of cocaine, jail records show. Investigators say the homeowner’s wife stepped outside and put out the flames twice before they could spread to the house.
North Miami police say they were called around 4:30 a.m. to a residence near the 12000 block of Northeast Sixth Avenue after the homeowner checked security footage and saw Pantabillu enter the backyard, collect miscellaneous items, douse them with gasoline from a red container, and set them on fire, according to Local 10. The outlet reports that after the woman went back inside, Pantabillu allegedly returned and reignited the blaze, this time closer to the home.
Jail records list one count each of first-degree arson and possession of cocaine. As of Wednesday, he was being held on a $27,500 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, according to Local 10. Police say the victim identified Pantabillu at the scene, and officers found a hard, white, powdery substance on him that later tested positive for crack cocaine, according to the arrest report.
What the charges mean
Under Florida law, arson in the first degree, which covers knowingly setting fire to a dwelling or a structure where people are normally present, is treated as a first-degree felony and is subject to state sentencing provisions. The statute is outlined in Chapter 806 of the Florida Statutes.
Records and prior bookings
County corrections paperwork shows Pantabillu’s name in recent Miami-Dade filings, reflecting prior contact with the criminal-justice system. A Miami-Dade Corrections annual report includes a listing for "PANTABILLU, ROYER," according to Miami-Dade County documents.
North Miami police say the investigation into the incident remains active. Officials are asking anyone with information to contact the North Miami Police Department so investigators can follow up.
