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In a shocking turn of events, a man from Pennsylvania has been formally charged with the deliberate explosion of his own home while his family was inside. This dramatic incident unfolded in the town of Plum and has left the community in disbelief.
Jacob Rabb is now facing a litany of serious charges, including attempted criminal homicide, aggravated arson, and endangerment of others, according to a report by WTAE. The accusations stem from an incident on April 22, 2022, when the home he shared with his wife, Laura Petty, and their three young sons, suddenly exploded.
On that fateful evening, Rabb, Petty, and their two younger children, ages 6 and 2, managed to escape the devastation. Their 11-year-old son, who was engrossed in a video game session in the basement at the time, had to crawl out through a window, sustaining first-degree burns in the process.
What remains puzzling is the nearly four-year delay in pressing charges against Rabb. Notably, Petty had discovered two disturbing notes in the kitchen shortly after the explosion. One chillingly stated, “P.S. I did blow up the house,” while the other ominously read, “If I can’t have her no one will or my kids … ” as reported by WTAE. The timing of when these notes were found remains unclear, adding further mystery to the case.
It’s not clear why it took nearly four years to bring charges, especially after Petty found two notes in the kitchen, one of which said, “P.S. I did blow up the house.” The other note said in part, “If I can’t have her no one will or my kids … ” according to WTAE. It’s not clear when those notes were found.
Rabb and Petty separated in December 2022, and she filed a protection order against him in May 2023. Weeks later, he violated the protection order and threatened Petty with a knife.
The affidavit filed in the case says that investigators believe Rabb manually disconnected the gas connection on the home’s dryer on three occasions, including the day of the explosion. And in fact, Rabb’s father told police that his son admitted his responsibility for the explosion, tthe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review said.
Petty actually credited Rabb with saving the family at the time
“I don’t remember anything,” she said. “I don’t remember hearing a blast or feeling the blast or anything. I woke up in bed with the roof collapsed on me. I was super disoriented. If it wasn’t for (Rabb), we wouldn’t have made it out.
The blast caused thousands of dollars in damage to nearby homes, the complaint said. The lot has remained vacant since the explosion.