Man charged with setting 2004 fire that killed 3 held on $2M bail

Jesus Perez-Rivera was extradited from Texas to New Jersey.

CAMDEN -- A Texas man is behind bars for his alleged role in starting an early morning blaze in 2004 that left three people dead, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Jesus Perez-Rivera in this file photo.

Jesus Perez-Rivera, 31 of Killeen, Texas, is charged with three counts of felony murder. He was extradited to New Jersey from Texas.

Presiding Criminal Division Judge Edward J. McBride, Jr. set bail at $2,000,000 cash or bond, according to the prosecutor's office.

According to a probable cause statement, Perez-Rivera, who previously lived in Camden, is accused of setting the July 9, 2004 fire that killed Maria Silva, 29; her husband, Luis Silva, 32, and her 6-year-old son, Carlos Cruz.

According to the prosecutor's office, the three victims were among nine people saved from the structure along the 900 block of North 22nd Street by Camden City Fire Department firefighters.

Although the Silvas and Carlos were pulled from the fire, all three died as a result of injuries they sustained. According to previous reports, Maria Silva was pregnant at the time of the fire.

An investigation conducted by the City of Camden Fire Marshall's Office determined that the fire was "incendiary."

According to the prosecutor's office, Perez-Rivera moved to Puerto Rico with his family shortly after the fire. He was identified as a suspect during an investigation by detectives in Camden County.

Perez-Rivera was taken into custody by the Killeen Police Department on May 25, 2016 and was held in a Texas jail until he was extradited to New Jersey.