Jamaican fugitive arrested in Florida for 2019 torture and arson case

A Jamaican fugitive, wanted in connection with a harrowing 2019 case of torture and arson in Massachusetts, was apprehended on Thursday in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Dushane Jerome Simon, 26, was captured following a joint operation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Criminal and Special Investigations Divisions and the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office. Simon has been sought for his alleged involvement in a violent home invasion in Springfield, Massachusetts, where a victim was reportedly robbed, kidnapped, tortured, and set on fire. Authorities believe Simon fled Massachusetts prior to his trial.

Massachusetts officials contacted the BCSO on January 15, requesting assistance in locating Simon and confirming their willingness to extradite him if found. Investigators swiftly identified Simon’s location at an apartment in Panama City Beach. When authorities moved in, the Jamaican fugitive attempted to escape by jumping from a third-story balcony, fleeing on foot into a wooded area. However, law enforcement pursued and apprehended him a short distance away.