Joseph Iannalfo’s decision to confide in his dad, Police Officer Stephen Iannalfo, played a major role in cracking the 2015 Stevens Street arson case. (WHAV News photograph.)
Reginald King and Joseph Iannalfo receive thanks from Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini. (WHAV News photograph.)
A neighbor who frequently walks his dog in the neighborhood and a student who overheard a classmate provided critical information that led to the arson conviction of four teens following the 2015 fire that destroyed a vacant Stevens Street factory.
Reginald King and Joseph Iannalfo told WHAV their stories after being honored Thursday morning and presented with checks from the Arson Watch Reward Program. King said he was troubled when he saw teenagers walking away.
“In the afternoon, I was putting situations together. The smoke. Then, going to the store, coming back, seeing kids leaving a scene because there was still smoke behind them. Then, I realized when I got back to my house that they’d done something wrong by the way they were acting.”
King began snapping photographs and trying to piece together what roles the teens might have played.
“The next morning, I made a CD—a DVD—and gave it to the detective that was down in Lafayette Square,” he told WHAV.
Iannalfo, a 15-year-old Whittier Vo-Tech student, confided in his father, Haverhill Police Officer Stephen Iannalfo, that he was concerned about something he heard in school.
“I told my dad and he did the rest. He asked me questions about who did, who said it, who did it. I told him I didn’t know about who did it. I had an idea, but I did know somebody who did know, but didn’t want to confess.”
He explained, “I was in school and I was talking to a friend and he was telling me about if I had heard about what happened and then he told me he knew about a couple, knew the people who did it.”
The Sunday, Sept.20, 2015, fire destroyed the former Hudson Machinery Company at 14-30 Stevens St. Four minors—a 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old—were convicted of arson in juvenile court.
King was presented with a $2,5000 check from Ronald Meehan, of the Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting Association, while Iannalfo received $2,000. King said he would buy a lobster dinner and pay bills with his reward. Iannalfo said he would put his reward towards driver’s training.
Meehan said the Arson Watch program was launched during 1983 and 1984 and has since given out 360 awards totaling $375,000.
Fire Chief William F. Laliberty addresses a small audience at the Water Street Fire Station, while Ronald Meehan, of the Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting Association, and Haverhill Police Capt. Stephen Doherty look on. (WHAV News photograph.)
Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini said the actions of the two men might have helped save lives of firefighters, save jobs of Lambert Roofing workers across the street and prevented the next arson attempt from taking place. However, the mayor said, he is certain these actions “definitely” saved the next building over—a building now subject to $30 million in new development. He presented two citations from the city.
Fire Chief William F. Laliberty thanked the team that solved the crime. “The Police Department and the Fire Department investigators who, through that whole course of the time the fire started to the time they made the arrests, the effort was very appreciated. It’s amazing what these guys do and the tenacity in which the pursue an arson case.
State Police Detective Lt. Paul Zipper, commanding officer, Fire and Explosion Investigation Section, and other officials also gave their thanks at the ceremony at the Water Street Fire Station.