Murder suspect charged in 2017 Curtis Lumber arson
Arrest follows lengthy probe by Saratoga County Sheriff ’s Office
A 44-year-old man who is awaiting trial for murder was arrested by members of the Saratoga County Sheriff ’s Office in connection with sabotaging computers and the electrical and gas systems at Curtis Lumber almost five years ago before allegedly trying to set a storage building ablaze.
Sheriff Michael Zurlo said deputies arrested Anthony Paradise after a lengthy investigation into the incident that took place Nov. 27, 2017, at the lumberyard and hardware store on Route 67. Deputies charged Paradise with arson, burglary, criminal tampering and criminal mischief, all felonies.
“This case shows that my deputies and investigators are relentless in their pursuit to hold criminals accountable,” Zurlo said. “This case involved hundreds of manhours by the investigators assigned. I’m proud to announce this arrest today.”
During the incident, deputies said that the man spent several hours on the Curtis Lumber property after the business was closed. In addition to allegedly tampering with computers, gas and electric, he allegedly toyed with the 911 system on a Verizon Wireless tower, and after allegedly trying to set a storage facility on fire, caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to a subfloor.
“I would like to thank Saratoga County Sheriff Mike Zurlo and the Criminal Investigation Unit for their diligence and persistence solving this very unusual crime,” Jay Curtis, owner and president of Curtis Lumber said. “We are extremely pleased and look forward to this being behind us.”
After his arraignment in Ballston Town Court, Paradise was returned to Greene County Correctional Facility where he is awaiting trial for allegedly strangling and killing his cellmate, 38-year-old Delmus Tanner, on Nov. 9, 2018.
Paradise, of Orleans County, was at Greene Correctional at the time of Tanner’s killing serving a 1 to 4-year sentence for robbery.
He was convicted of robbing Adirondack Trust in Saratoga Springs in 2017.