NEW YORK CITY — A quiet Queens neighborhood has been left shaken after a horrific home invasion, robbery, and arson claimed the lives of a beloved elderly couple on Monday. Police have identified the victims as Frank Olton, 76, and Maureen Olton, 77, longtime residents of Bellerose.
Firefighters discovered the couple after responding to a blaze at their 85th Avenue home Monday afternoon. Investigators later determined the fire was deliberately set. Frank was found tied to a pole in the basement with multiple stab wounds, while Maureen’s body was discovered on the first floor, badly burned by the flames.
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At a press briefing Tuesday, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the killings “one of the most disturbing cases we’ve seen in recent memory,” stressing both the brutality of the attack and the urgency of the ongoing manhunt.
Suspect Identified
Authorities have named 42-year-old Jamel McGriff as the prime suspect. Surveillance footage captured him moving door-to-door in the neighborhood Monday morning, asking residents if he could enter their homes to charge a cellphone. At least one resident refused him entry.
Around 10:18 a.m., McGriff was seen speaking with Frank outside the Oltons’ home before being escorted into the backyard and through a rear door. Chillingly, video shows him inside the residence for nearly five hours. At 3:08 p.m., he was recorded leaving with a duffel bag and paper bag in hand.
Roughly 20 minutes later, the couple’s son — an EMT with the Fire Department — received an alarm notification and called 911. Responding firefighters extinguished the blaze only to uncover the grim scene inside.
Violent Criminal History
Police say McGriff has a long history of violent crime. He previously served 16 years in prison following a 2006 robbery conviction and has been linked to two more robberies in recent months: one at a Harlem GameStop in July and another at a Manhattan Verizon store.
He also failed to register as a sex offender in 2024, a parole violation that should have triggered additional supervision. Commissioner Tisch emphasized that McGriff should be considered armed and dangerous.
On Tuesday morning, McGriff was seen pawning two cellphones in the Bronx. His parole officer later confirmed his identity from surveillance footage, further tying him to the Olton murders.
Public Safety Warning
Authorities are urging New Yorkers to remain alert. “The suspect’s method is to ask for help — such as charging a cellphone — until he’s allowed inside,” Tisch warned. “Do not let strangers into your home.”
The NYPD has mobilized its regional fugitive task force, working with state and federal partners in a full-scale effort to capture McGriff.
Community in Grief
The Oltons were well-known in Bellerose, where neighbors described them as generous and kindhearted. The couple had lived in the neighborhood for decades and were deeply rooted in the community.
“This was a random act of brutality carried out against two innocent people in their own home,” Tisch said. “The city owes it to the Olton family to bring this killer to justice.”
As the investigation intensifies, residents of Queens are grappling with both fear and sorrow. What was once a peaceful neighborhood now bears the scars of a senseless crime, and the city waits anxiously for word of McGriff’s arrest.