SAN MATEO (KRON) — Police in San Mateo have made an arrest in connection to a fire that left an elderly woman dead last week.
Authorities say the fire may have been a targeted gang-related attack.
Fifita Tau, of East Palo Alto, was arrested Friday evening after the San Mateo Police Department’s SWAT team served search warrants at a home on the 2300 block of Oakwood Drive in East Palo Alto.
Detectives say they questioned several individuals at the home — and ultimately determined Tau as the person responsible for the fire. He’s been arrested on arson and murder charges as well as a gang enhancement charge and is now being held without bail at the San Mateo County Jail.
Tau is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.
The deadly house fire occurred Feb. 19 around 4:30 a.m. on the 100 block of South Humboldt Street. The 85-year-old grandmother, identified by police as Susana Tonga, died at the scene.
