Man Attempts and Threatens To Blow Up House: East Haven PD

EAST HAVEN, CT — A man is accused of threatening and attempting to blow up a house in East Haven, police said. Police say the man turned the gas on in the house and told his wife via text message that “I’m going to turn house into a bomb,” “Think I’m kidding,” and “Everything is over as of today," police said.

It began at 2:10 p.m. on Feb. 24 when police were called to a Lenox Street house due to a strong odor of natural gas in the residence, police said. An occupant of the house said he was in the shower when Michael Nettis, 43, entered the home and turned on the gas stove without igniting the natural gas allowing it to fill the residence, police said.

The occupant smelled the natural gas when he got out of the shower, immediately turned the gas off and opened all the windows to ventilate the residence, police said. At around the same time this was happening, Nettis sent threatening text messages to his wife, with pictures of the gas knobs turned up, explaining what he did, police said.

"One message in a string of messages to his wife stated “I’m going to turn house into a bomb” “Think I’m kidding” and “Everything is over as of today," Police Lt. Joseph M. Murgo said in a news release.

The East Haven Fire Department responded to ventilate the residence and check the gas levels within the house.

Nettis was arrested in Thomaston. He is being held in lieu of a $300,000 bond and is charged with first-degree attempted arson, first-degree threatening, first-degree reckless endangerment, and second-degree breach of peace.

Image via East Haven Police