Police: Man set home on fire to burn evidence

The home was burglarized just a day before it was set on fire, police said. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)

The home was burglarized just a day before it was set on fire, police said. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)

After Erika Bagwell found an acquaintance burglarizing her home, police think the man came back to the house the next day to set it on fire and get rid of any evidence he was tied to the crime.

Bagwell and her boyfriend Christopher Scaglotti had just gotten back to her Alpharetta home Sept. 17 when they saw Jason Ceron inside the garage carrying two bookbags — on of them belonging to Bagwell’s son — and other items, according to a police report.

Jason Ceron (Channel 2 Action News)

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When the couple left earlier in the day, Bagwell noticed her side gate was open and things around the house had been moved, but she thought her dad has stopped by the place, according to the report.

Scaglotti fought with Ceron who held up a bullet and threatened him, saying: “I have three. Which one do you want? One, two or three?”

Ceron then left the home with one of the bookbags, which had two .35 Remmington bullets, jewelry, several pairs of gloves, pictures of Bagwell and some of her underwear, according to the report.

But he didn’t get away for long.

“A business card was left on scene with a name of the suspect we believe was related to the case,” Alpharetta police spokesman George Gordon said. The card had Ceron’s name and company Just Cause Resurfacing on it.

Police arrested Ceron the next day, Sept. 18, and charged him with burglary and robbery with force. That same day Bagwell’s home was set on fire.

“(Ceron) stated he did handy work for (Bagwell) and that he was owed money,” Gordon said.

Though the arson is still under investigation, Gordon said he thinks Ceron started it to “cover up something.”

Ceron remained in the Fulton County Jail Thursday.