Lehigh Acres, FL – A Lehigh Acres teenager is facing multiple felony charges after investigators say he intentionally set a home on fire early Saturday morning while people were sleeping inside.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and Lehigh Acres Fire Department crews responded around 6 a.m. Saturday to a residential fire in the 300 block of Paisley Avenue. When first responders arrived, they found a home actively burning and multiple residents attempting to escape.
Authorities say deputies discovered an opened five-gallon propane tank positioned near the front door of the home, along with a homemade Molotov cocktail, indicating the fire was intentionally set.
Four people inside the residence were able to escape through a window and were not injured, officials confirmed.
During the investigation, detectives learned the suspect, identified as Maikol Estrada Gomez, allegedly parked his vehicle down the street and briefly spoke with the victims after the fire started, asking what had happened before leaving the area.
Investigators later located Estrada Gomez at his home, where he was arrested. According to the sheriff’s office, the teen allegedly admitted to transporting the propane tank, using a gas-filled bottle to ignite the fire, and attempting to kill an occupant inside the residence.
Estrada Gomez is facing four counts of attempted felony murder, arson, occupied burglary, making a destructive device, and possession or use of a weapon. Due to his age, he was released to the Department of Juvenile Justice for secure detention.
The case remains under investigation. Officials have not released details about a possible motive.
Residents in Lehigh Acres and surrounding parts of Lee County, near the Fort Myers metro area, are urged to report suspicious activity to authorities.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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