A Castle Shannon man is facing homicide charges after police say he intentionally set fire to his home, killing his 19-year-old daughter and injuring his wife in a devastating blaze on Sunday morning.
Brian Shelleby, 46, has been charged with criminal homicide and aggravated arson, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office confirmed. According to a criminal complaint, multiple 911 calls reported an explosion and fire near 840 Corbett Drive shortly before 10 a.m.
When first responders arrived, they found the home completely engulfed in flames. Firefighters rushed to extinguish the blaze and attempted to rescue those trapped inside. Tragically, 19-year-old Lakyn Shelleby was pronounced dead at the scene. Her mother, Carly Shelleby, was pulled from the home and transported to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where she remains in stable condition.
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Carly later told investigators that she had informed her husband that he could not stay in the home because they were separated. She recounted that Brian responded by saying he would “burn the house down.” Moments later, she said she heard the sound of liquid being poured in the garage while she was in the kitchen, according to a local NBC affiliate, WPXI.
Lakyn also reportedly told her mother she saw Brian pouring gasoline. According to police, Brian admitted to using five gallons of gasoline, spreading it throughout the basement, garage, and first floor before setting the fire. Carly said she was running out of the house when the explosion erupted.
Bystanders described hearing the blast and seeing a gas canister shoot from the home. Neighbor Manny Henriquez told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that residents tried desperately to help. “We set up a ladder on the back after we asked whoever where the child was,” he said to WPXI.
“So we kind of concentrated on that room, started breaking the windows, but it was just … we didn’t have time.” Authorities took Brian Shelleby into custody soon after the fire. He is currently being held at the Allegheny County Jail, where he has been denied bond.
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The tragedy has shaken the tight-knit neighborhood. Neighbors told reporters they knew Lakyn well, describing her as a strong-willed and loving young woman who had just begun her sophomore year at the University of Pittsburgh.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to call the County Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers may remain anonymous. As the community mourns, the case is being prosecuted as one of the most disturbing examples of domestic violence in the area in recent years.