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WARREN -- Authorities have returned the third person accused in the Jan. 19 fatal fire that killed 16-year-old Chassidy Broadstone to Trumbull County.
Zachary Gurd, 23, of Youngstown, was booked into the county jail at 10:41 p.m. Sunday, records show. Gurd is charged with a host of felonies, including capital murder charges in the fatal arson that occurred at a Nevada Street NW home in the early morning hours.
Gurd had fled to Virginia after he was named as a suspect by Warren detectives. He was caught by U.S. Marshals shortly after leaving a Greyhound bus in the Richmond, Va., area. He had waived his right to an extradition hearing and was transported back to Ohio to face the felony charges.
Court officials said arraignment for Gurd will happen at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday before Common Pleas Judge Cynthia Rice. His co-defendants, Brendan Daviduk, 28, and Patricia Zarlingo, 27, are housed in county jail awaiting their next pretrial hearing later this month before Judge Sean O'Brien.
The three each face two counts of first-degree aggravated murder with specifications of aggravating circumstances that each carry death penalty-level sentences, two counts of attempted aggravated murder, two counts of aggravated arson, one count of aggravated burglary and one count of tampering with evidence. They are accused of starting the house fire that killed the Warren G. Harding High School junior and hospitalized her two sisters.
Gurd was arrested Feb. 3 by marshals in Chester, Va.. Authorities believed he was fleeing to Florida after he found out he was wanted for questioning in the fatal fire.
He was placed at the scene of the fire holding a gasoline can as a result of cellphone tracking and video cameras, authorities said. An affidavit written by a Warren police detective showed the tragic fire might have resulted from a "feud involving adults."
Broadstone was found lying in a second-floor bathroom. Broadstone's two siblings managed to escape the fire. Marshals stated in a news release that one sustained a broken back, and the other had non-life threatening injuries.
Gurd was observed carrying a gasoline can, as shown on a security video, and thrown against the wall opposite of the door -- presumably from the backdraft of the fire. The suspect then retrieved an item suspected to be an xBox gaming system and the gas can before the video ends.
State fire marshal investigator Todd Stitt has confirmed the fire started on the first floor area and gasoline traces were found at the scene.