JAMAICA MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER OF AUNT IN "MOLOTOV COCKTAIL" ATTACK

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the conviction of a Jamaica man for murdering his 58 year old aunt by lighting a so-called Molotov Cocktail -- a bottle filled with gasoline and a cloth wick -- and throwing it at her inside her Jamaica home two years ago.

District Attorney Brown said, "The defendant, angry at his aunt because she had been insisting that he find a job, planned and executed this horrendous act of violence. The victim, who had kindly allowed the defendant to live with her, died a painful death at his hands."

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Daniel Jason Thomas, 26, of 126-30 144th Street, Jamaica. He was convicted of murder, arson, reckless endangerment and other crimes after a non jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Robert Hanophy who will impose sentence on November 9, 1998. The defendant faces a sentence of 25 years to life prison.

According to the testimony at trial, the defendant and his aunt, Ms. Delcenia Harrison had had an ongoing dispute over the defendant's lifestyle and lack of employment. On June 6, 1996 at about 10:30 p.m. the defendant had three bottles filled with gasoline in his room and brought one of the bottles outside the house. Ms. Harrison smelled the gas and questioned him about it with which, according to the witnesses, the defendant yelled at them and others in the house to leave, lit a cloth wick/stopper in the gas filled bottle and hurled it at Ms. Harrison. As flames engulfed the victim and the house, the defendant blocked the front door for a time and then fled. Firefighters and police arrived shortly thereafter.

Assistant District Attorney Richard C. Johnson of the District Attorneys Major Crimes Bureau which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Charles A. Testagrossa, prosecuted the case.