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Man arrested, charged with murder of Mich. firefighter

Jabez Bobo was also charged with first-degree arson for the blaze at the mobile home park where Flint Firefighter Ricky Hill Jr. collapsed at the scene

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Photo/Flint Firefighters Local 352

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Firefighter Ricky Hill Jr. collapsed at the scene of a suspected arson and was transported to a medical facility where he was pronounced dead.

Image/Flint Township Fire Department

By Rachel Engel
FireRescue1

FLINT, Mich. — A man was arrested last week and arraigned on charges Monday related to the February death of a Flint firefighter.

Jabez Bobo pleaded not guilty to a charge of open murder and first-degree arson, mlive.com reported.

An open murder designation allows a prosecutor to wait to charge the defendant with either first- or second-degree murder or manslaughter, per a 1986 Michigan Supreme Court ruling.

The charges stem from a Feb. 25 mobile home park fire, where Bobo allegedly started the blaze that led to the death of Firefighter Ricky Hill Jr., 49, who collapsed at the scene. Hill was rushed to a nearby medical center where he was pronounced dead.

Evidence linking Bobo to the scene led to his arrest on Friday, March 3. He is currently being held on $100,000 bond in the Genesee County Jail.