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BELLEROSE, Queens (WABC) — Prosecutors say 42-year-old Jamel McGriff confessed to torturing a Queens couple before setting them on fire.
McGriff, a career criminal, is now facing multiple life sentences if convicted.
He was arraigned Thursday and held without bail after a multi-day manhunt led to his arrest in Times Square on Wednesday.
On Friday morning, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz outlined the investigation that led to McGriff’s arrest. That’s when prosecutors say he confessed to officers saying: “I’ll admit it. I killed them, I don’t give a (expletive). I killed them. I burned them (expletive).”
“So, yes, he did indicate some of those things, as you just indicated, when he was arrested,” Katz said. “The things that we can corroborate is that he did kill them. That is quite clear from the evidence with respect to other things, he said.”
For each victim, McGriff was charged Thursday with multiple counts of first degree murder, two counts of robbery, three charges of burglary, grand larceny, kidnap abduction resulting in death, kidnapping, arson, criminal possession of a weapon, identity theft and criminal possession of stolen property.
Police say McGriff set Frank and Maureen Olton, 76 and 77 years old, on fire Monday after spending five hours inside their home.
Officers say he was walking around earlier in the day knocking on neighbors’ doors and asking to charge his phone.
Despite initially believing Frank Olton let McGriff into his home, a new analysis of surveillance videos appears to show that was not the case.
Detectives now believe the victim told the suspect to hand over his phone and wait by the gate as he charged it inside, but once inside the gate, the suspect appears to have taken advantage of Olton’s kindness by pushing his way into the house.
The surveillance video recovered by police has audio, and on it detectives believe they can hear Olton ordering the suspect to “get the f- out of here.”
New details from McGriff’s arraignment revealed that he was tracked on video from Queens Herald Square. Officials say he went straight to Macy’s where he used Frank Olton’s credit card to purchase $500 in luxury clothes but used his own Macy’s rewards account number, with his own name.
He was caught on video at the Regal Union Square movie theater in a recliner, watching a movie with tickets purchased with Frank Olton’s credit card.
When five police officers approached him, officials say he did not put up any fight.
McGriff, described by police as a career criminal, is a level 3 sex offender with a lengthy criminal record stretching 30 years. He was released from prison in 2023.
McGriff served 16 years in prison for an armed robbery and is wanted in two more armed robberies this summer.
“He has 17 priors, he has numerous robbery arrests, he is on parole for robbery, he is known to do commercial robberies,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. “And in one incidence, he did a commercial robbery where he sexually abused an employee. He was arrested for robbery not soon after that one. And that’s that’s why he is on parole.”
Neighborhood holds vigil for beloved couple
At a vigil was held on Friday at the couple’s home where friends and neighbors turned out to remember Frank and Maureen Olten.
“We’ve spoken enough about the horrific crime and who committed them but tonight we wanted to celebrate Frank and Maureen Olton,” a neighbor Lourdes Villanueva said.
Those who attended are determined to make sure the couple’s legacy lives on.
Neighbors and friends are still very shaken up over their deaths.
“Very upset. Hurt. Wondering. Fearful,” said Gina Quinn, a neighbor.
“They were lovely people. It’s a shame. It’s shame. You can’t open your house to anyone right now,” a neighbor Artie Augustine said.
Villanueva said Frank Olton was active in their communit and once served as the co-president of the local civic association.
Frank stood by his community.
He introduced his family to me, and Frank was the eyes and ears of Bell right here if we needed something if we needed to know something, Frank was the person who would send us an email and say this is what’s going on,” Villanueva said.
Now elected officials are calling on the community to stand by his family’s side in their time of need.
“When I did talk to one of the family members they are so overwhelmed right now,” Linda Lee with the city council said.
Elected leaders said the street will be renamed in their memory.
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