ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A Rockford man and his mother, along with his uncle and a family friend, are accused of conspiring to set fire to his ex-girlfriend’s car in retaliation for his arrest for domestic abuse.
According to the charging documents, on the night of September 3rd, the Rockford Fire Department responded to a vehicle on fire in the 1600 block of Virginia Avenue, around 10:43 p.m.
Officials said a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix was in flames and the fire had spread to the adjacent house, where a woman and her son were inside.
The pair escaped to a neighbor’s garage for safety, and the woman said she saw two masked suspects standing near her car, who then ran away.
According to police, detectives were able to determine that the woman’s ex-boyfriend, John Redwine, 25, was in custody at the Winnebago County Jail on charges of domestic abuse.
Investigators believe that from jail, Redwine arranged with his mother, Connie Gille (Redwine), 46, to have his uncle, Joe Pumilia, 32, and Jesse O’hern, 28, a friend of the family, set the fire in retaliation for Redwine’s arrest.
Redwine is being held on charges of Aggravated Arson, Residential Arson, Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Arson, Aggravated Battery in a Public Place, and Violation of an Order of Protection.
Gille, Pumilia, and O’hern are charged with Arson, Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Arson, Aggravated Arson and Residential Arson.
Redwine, Gille, and O’hern were arrested Thursday and booked into the Winnebago County Jail.
A judge ordered Redwine and Gille held in custody. O’hern was released with a notice to appear at a future court date, on February 14th.
Pumilia is not in custody at this time.
By: John Clark
