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WILKES-BARRE — After telling his girlfriend he’d kill her whole family, Manuary Antonio Suarez proceeded to light multiple fires in an attempt to show her how, police said.
Suarez, 23, pleaded guilty Monday in Luzerne County Court to a single felony count of attempted arson and was immediately paroled for serving the minimum nine month sentence at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
Police said Suarez, of 602 Garfield Street, Hazleton, vowed to kill Maria Cuzman’s family following a verbal spat at 349 W. Birch St. that started when Suarez became upset that Cuzman, who was five months pregnant, had recently attended a birthday party for a friend’s baby.
According to the criminal complaint, Suarez told Cuzman, “I’m going to kill your whole family and save you for last so that you can feel the pain I felt.” Suarez then said, “I know what I’m going to do,” before running into the kitchen and looking for a knife.
Cuzman told police Suarez couldn’t find one and instead took out a lighter from his pocket and set a brown paper bag and a Styrofoam container on fire. Police observed the burned bag along with spilled water and an empty glass on the table. Suarez then tried setting curtains on fire, police said.
After Suarez pushed Cuzman to the floor, he ran upstairs and tried setting Cuzman’s mother’s bedroom door on fire. Cuzman attempted to stop Suarez but was swung at with a closed fist.
Suarez told Cuzman the only way her family will ever be safe is if she had an abortion and got rid of the baby, police said.
Cuzman’s sister, Steffany, heard the yelling and asked Suarez what he was doing. Suarez told her Maria Cuzman was “doing this to herself.”
Suarez later fled the residence after Steffany Cuzman called 911. He was later apprehended by Hazleton police as he attempted to flee the neighborhood on foot. Police found a purple lighter in Suarez’s pocket and suspected synthetic marijuana in a cigarette pack.
A second felony charge of attempted arson was withdrawn, along with misdemeanor counts of assault, reckless endangerment and making terroristic threats, court records show.