PHOENIX -- Phoenix firefighters say a man’s car was torched and his home nearly burned down all because of a rap song.
Josh Greiner said he wrote a song insulting a former friend and member of his rap group, Mind Lab Productions.
After the song was put online, Greiner said someone torched his car and then left a trail of fuel leading from the car to his home in an attempt to set his house on fire.
Greiner’s mother, who lives across the street, saw two men set her son’s car on fire and called 9-1-1.
Investigators later arrested the suspect, Ryan Parker, who now faces arson charges.
“That’s pretty serious. That’s right up there with murder,” said Cpt. Paul Hobel, a Phoenix Fire investigator.
Hobel said Parker used gasoline to light the car on fire and then used transmission fluid to try and light the house on fire.
Hobel also said Parker left several threats on Greiner’s voicemail.
“During the day before the fire, he said something about torching the house. In another one, he said 'Today I’m going to scratch you like I scratched your house,' and that was after the fire,” said Hobel.
Hobel said investigators are also looking for at least two others in connection with the arson investigation.
They were last seen in a dark Ford pickup truck with red cursive writing on the back.
Anyone with information is asked to call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-948-6377.
