Thomas Ryan Charged in Orange County Homicide, Arson

GREENVILLE, N.Y. — A 32-year-old man has been charged with murder and arson in connection with the death of his father, whose body was found after a house fire in Orange County earlier this month.

New York State Police said Thomas D. Ryan was medically cleared and released from Westchester Medical Center on Aug. 13 after receiving treatment for injuries he sustained before being taken into police custody.

Ryan was then transported to State Police in Middletown, where he was charged with second-degree murder, a class A-I felony; third-degree arson, a class C felony; tampering with physical evidence, a class E felony; concealment of a human corpse, a class E felony; and fourth-degree grand larceny, a class E felony.

Ryan was arraigned at the Orange County Centralized Arraignment and remanded to the Orange County Jail.

The charges stem from a fire reported at about 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6 at a residence on Greenville Turnpike in the town of Greenville. After the fire was extinguished, investigators found the body of a deceased man inside the home. State Police determined the fire had been deliberately set and began investigating the death as a homicide.

The victim was identified as 70-year-old Robert Ryan, Thomas Ryan’s father. State Police said Thomas Ryan did not live with his father at the time of the incident.

Ryan was the subject of a multi-day search after police described him as armed and dangerous. He was taken into custody early Aug. 9

in the town of Gilboa in Schoharie County after State Police received tips from members of the public about his whereabouts and the Toyota Prius he was believed to be driving.

He was treated for injuries after his apprehension and remained hospitalized until his release Aug. 13.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Image Credit: New York State Police