61 year old dealership owner dies of a heart attack...

Jstas

...while torching his closed dealership's inventory.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29263546/

LIGONIER TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Police don't know what sparked a fire at a financially troubled Ligonier car dealership -- where the owner of the business was later found dead -- but they said they're sure it's a case of arson.

Ligonier Township Police Chief Michael Matrunics said investigators haven't ruled out the possibility that Graham Colonial Motors was torched by Gregory Graham himself.

"This is rather unusual. We've never had a situation like this," Matrunics said. "That's why we are going to try to follow up all the leads we get, talk to neighbors as we are doing now. This way we can determine more information later," said


Shortly after 2 a.m. Tuesday, firefighters were called to Graham's car dealership on Route 711 because four cars were burning.

"We know for a fact it was not a malfunction. It was ruled as an arson situation and criminal mischief. They were actual crimes that were committed at that time," Matrunics said.

Firefighters found the 61-year-old Graham's body near the damaged vehicles. Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha said Graham suffered a heart attack.

WTAE Channel 4's Jennifer Miele reported that there were only about a dozen cars on the lot. Court records show federal tax liens totaling more than $400,000 in 2008 -- none of which was satisfied -- and state liens totaling more than $300,000 in 2007.

Police are interviewing neighbors and Graham's family members. They're also waiting for results of toxicology tests on Graham's blood.

"Bottom line is trying to make sure there's nobody else involved with this situation," Matrunics said. "Until we actually confirm that, basically, that's all we can say until the completion of the investigation."

disneyjoe7

Sad it all came down to this, and he felt it was the only way out. May he RIP.

CaligulaPolk

Damn, whats with arsonist in PA??? serial arson had been happening lately in philly.

these people need find new hobby or a life

danger boy

very tough time to be in the car industry... be it making them, selling them or even buying one these days. car repo's have increased quite a bit lately. I sure hope I they don't have to repo my 1970 truck that barely runs. :eek:

SKsolutions

I lived in what was the arson capital of the US, at the time early 1970's. Just like Detroit that took the title thereafter, the city was dying, no one wanted to buy anything, and if you wanted out, . . . a misplaced grill worked wonders. I would hope not to see a reemergence anywhere. I remember two things from that time. . . lots fire engines, and the **** Angels coming home on their bikes at 6am. I always wondered if the two were connected.
This guy was Lien'd to death, literally.

TECHNOKID

Very sad story, I can just imagine at that age what it can do to you when you realize you are simply digging your self deeper and deeper in the hole when actually at this point in your life, you should start to breathe a little. That sure is enough to give you a heart attack. Very sad, I wonder how much damage this economy crisis will manage to do?