Man arrested after allegedly setting fire to garage next to ex-wife’s home

By Arielle Mitropoulos

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    NASHUA, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A man from Barrington has been arrested after investigators said he intentionally set fire to a garage off Arlington Street in Nashua Thursday.

Police said the garage was owned by a person who had an active domestic violence protection order against the suspect, 39-year-old David Vasquez-Larkin.

Maggie Vasquez identified herself as that woman to News 9, confirming that David Vasquez-Larkin is her ex-husband.

She said she had just left for work when she got a call from her husband saying their garage was on fire.

“It was so scary,” Maggie Vasquez said. “All the windows on the side of the house are shattered from the heat. It’s a drought, so there’s embers right up to the house. It’s so close to having started going into our home, and it’s terrifying.”

Surveillance video from a neighbor shows the moments the garage went up in flames.

Investigators said Vasquez-Larkin had been previously convicted of stalking Maggie Vasquez. They said police were able to place him at the location during the fire and arrest him on Saturday.

“It’s so scary and it makes it so hard for our family to function and be able to just live our life. And that’s all we want to do, is for us to have a life without him in it,” Maggie Vasquez said.

Dorothy Losik, 96, has lived in the neighborhood for 70 years. Her home was partially damaged by the flames coming from the garage and was taken to a local hospital.

“It was 2 o’clock in the morning, so they came in right away and got me out because that place was on, was in flames,” Losik said. “The police wrapped me in a blanket and put me on a stretcher.”

Losik said that her husband, Chester, died nine years ago, and she is overwhelmed and worried about how she will handle dealing with the damage by herself.

“I’m all alone. Somebody’s going to have to help me,” Losik said.

In sharing her story, Maggie Vasquez said that she hopes others, who might be struggling with domestic violence, will feel less alone.

“It’s scary to have to always look over your shoulder and also be at the mercy of a judge,” Maggie Vasquez said.

Officials said Vasquez-Larkin is facing charges of arson and violating a protective order. He remains in custody.

Anyone with information is asked to call Nashua police.

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