At a Glance
- A 17-year-old has been arrested for setting fire to five cars in South Fort Worth over the holiday season
- The arson spree began early Christmas Eve and continued through New Year’s Day
- Surveillance footage traced the suspect from crime scenes back to his nearby home
- Why it matters: The fires terrorized neighborhoods and destroyed a family car just $400 from being paid off
A holiday season meant for celebration turned into a nightmare for South Fort Worth residents after a string of car fires left families shaken and vehicles destroyed. Investigators say a 17-year-old boy living near the victims is responsible for the five arsons that spanned 10 days.
The Fire Spree
The first blaze erupted at 1:45 a.m. on Christmas Eve, when surveillance video shows the teen breaking into Rebecca’s car, igniting it, and fleeing. Flames lit the sky and explosions sent neighbors running.
> “It was going in the air, and it was making the boom sounds… I thought it was going to touch somebody’s house,”
>
> Rebecca, first victim
Following a pattern of targeting cars parked on street corners, the suspect struck four more times through New Year’s Day.
Investigation and Arrest
Police and fire crews canvassed neighborhoods, knocked on doors, and collected home surveillance clips.
- Combined camera angles linked each scene
- Footage created a trail back to the suspect’s residence
- Evan Banda, 17, was arrested Thursday
> “We were able to piece together several camera angles from different neighbors that led us from the scene at one fire directly back to his residence,”
>
> David Jones, Fort Worth Fire Department investigative unit
Community Impact
The fires left more than charred metal; they shattered peace of mind.
| Victim Impact | Details |
|---|---|
| Rebecca’s family | Car $400 from payoff, meant for daughters |
| Neighborhood fear | Residents wondered, “Are we a target?” |
| Chief’s warning | Eddie Garcia: “They will escalate to something” |
> “Our community was in fear for a while,”
>
> Fort Worth Police Chief Eddie Garcia
Key Takeaways
- Five vehicles torched across three South Fort Worth neighborhoods
- Surveillance footage was critical in identifying and locating the suspect
- A family lost a nearly paid-off car intended as a gift to their children
- Authorities warn such crimes can escalate if unchecked
With Evan Banda in custody, residents hope the arrest ends the holiday terror and restores their sense of safety.
