HERRIMAN — More than 2 1⁄ 2 years after a fire destroyed a Herriman house and the suspected arsonist fled the country, police and fire investigators are still working the case.

On July 22, 2017, fire crews responded to a burning house at 14652 S. Quiet Glen Drive (4950 West) about 4 a.m. The home was considered a total loss. No one was home at the time and there were no injuries.

The cause of the fire was determined to be arson, and the main suspect was a man from Orem who abruptly moved to Brazil shortly after the fire, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in 2017.

In December, another warrant was filed as investigators continue to gather evidence in hopes of reaching a resolution.

A neighbor called 911 just after 4 a.m. to report the fire after he was awakened by his barking dog, the new warrant states. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the burned structure and determined “gasoline was present in the samples of debris taken from the house as well as a medium to heavy petroleum product. At this time the fire has been determined to be incendiary in nature with multiple points of origin in the basement of the home in a theater room and at the bottom of the stairway leading from the basement to the main level of the house,” the new warrant states.

Investigators believe the suspected arsonist set the fire after one of the residents in the house rejected his advances.

“It was discovered that when the youngest son in the family was in Minnesota in 2015 he became acquainted with the suspect who belonged to the same church group. The suspect moved to Utah approximately two months before the son returned to Utah from Minnesota,” the warrant states.

The court document further states that “the suspect became obsessed with the son and was constantly showing up at his work or his home uninvited. The suspect was buying expensive gifts for the son and this made the son feel uneasy. The son tried to sever any ties with the suspect but was unable to.”

Prior court documents stated the suspect was 30 years old at the time.

On June 8, 2017, about a month before the fire, “the suspect made sexual advances toward the son” at the home and the son “rejected the advances,” according to the warrant.

A week later, the son left for basic training for the U.S. Army in Virginia.

On July 25, 2017, three days after the fire, “the suspect had abruptly vacated his apartment” in Orem. He had informed the manager of his apartment on July 23, 2017, that “he needed to sell his remaining lease contract,” which he was able to do, the warrant states.

Investigators believe the man fled to Brazil.

“The suspect has refused to return to Utah to be interviewed regarding the crime,” police wrote.

“Based on the extensive amount of time put into this investigation and interviews conducted with multiple individuals who had been in the home between the time the home was purchased at the end of May 2017 and the time of the fire on July 22, 2017, it is believed that the information gained from this warrant will be able to place the suspect at the home prior to the fire being reported by the neighbor,” the warrant states.