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Man Charged with Arson for Wilkes-Barre Fire, Death Under Investigation

WILKES-BARRE — A man from Wilkes-Barre is now charged with arson while police still investigate a suspicious death in the city. The suspect, Kyle Shaw, 31...
kyle shaw

WILKES-BARRE -- A man from Wilkes-Barre is now charged with arson while police still investigate a suspicious death in the city.

The suspect, Kyle Shaw, 31, of Wilkes-Barre, is being held only on arson charges. He's locked up in the Luzerne County Prison.

It all has to do with a fire Sunday on Prospect Street in Wilkes-Barre.

Police say after the fire, they found a 31-year-old man's body inside.

Investigators later learned a man was seen leaving the fire scene in a red van. Court papers indicate that man was Kyle Shaw who went to his ex-girlfriend's house and told her he saw his friend commit suicide and that's when saw said he set the house on fire.

Besides a few passing cars, everything was quiet on Prospect Street Monday as neighbors looked on at the burned-out house.

Neighbors said they were shocked to learn something like that could happen on their street.

People who knew the victim and Shaw say the two men knew each other and that the arson suspect was living at the house at the time of the fire.

Elise Harris of Wilkes-Barre has lived in this neighborhood for years.

"I just couldn't believe it," said Harris. "Not that family, they were too nice."

Shaw was later picked up after a traffic stop and standoff with police near Nuangola.

"We ordered the man several times to let us see his hands, step out of his vehicle, shut off the vehicle. He ignored all those commands," said Officer Andrew Hashagen.

Shaw is currently being charged with arson but not with the death.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of death and plan an autopsy later on Monday.

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