Arson In Haddonfield Followed Years Of Stalking: Prosecutor

HADDONFIELD, NJ — A man wanted for lighting a vehicle on fire in a Haddonfield driveway was identified and caught, authorities said. Michael McNeely was also accused of stalking victims around South Jersey.

McNeely, 42, of Haddon Township, poured gasoline onto a vehicle and lit it on fire last October, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office (CCPO). Weeks later, he spray painted a bench in Medford Township in a "stalking-related" incident, authorities said.

The suspect's stalking in Haddonfield and Medford goes back to 2019, the CCPO said.

Haddonfield police responded to a vehicle fire at about 1:15 a.m. Oct. 21 on the 1000 block of Concord Circle. Surveillance footage showed a previously unidentified person pouring gas onto the car.

The property was targeted by arson twice before — on Oct. 18, 2017, and June 25, 2021 — the CCPO said. Those incidents remain under investigation. Additionally, a concrete block was thrown threw a window on June 20, 2019, according to law enforcement.

• Related: Haddonfield Property Targeted For Arson Multiple Times In Recent Years: Police

McNeely was arrested Friday in Haddonfield and remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility, pending a future court date. He was charged with the following:

• aggravated arson (second-degree) and criminal mischief (third-degree) for the Haddonfield arson case
• criminal mischief (fourth-degree) and harassment (petty disorderly persons offense) for the Medford vandalism case
• criminal mischief (fourth-degree) for a June 2019 incident in Haddonfield
• stalking (fourth-degree) for incidents on dates ranging from 2019-23 in Haddonfield and Medford

Anyone with information can contact Det. Jason Roland of the CCPO's Major Crimes Unit at 856-225-5125, Det. Cpl. Kristin O'Neill of the Haddonfield Police Department at 856-429-3000, and Det. Mark Hunsinger of the Medford Township Police Department at 609-654-7511. Tips can also be sent to CAMDEN.TIPS.