Surprise man accused of using Molotov cocktails in calculated murder attempt
Murder suspect accused of firebombing ex's home
A man was arrested after allegedly throwing homemade explosives into his ex-girlfriend's home and forcing neighbors to evacuate.
SURPRISE, Ariz. - A Surprise man is behind bars after allegedly executing a calculated, premeditated plot to firebomb his ex-girlfriend’s home early Thursday morning, forcing the occupants to leap from a burning porch to escape.
What we know:
Carman Caldwell, 56, faces multiple felony charges — including first-degree attempted murder and arson — after police say he violated an active order of protection to launch the targeted attack near Greenway Road and Grand Avenue. Investigators emphasized that the incident was not a "heat of the moment" reaction, but a highly orchestrated ambush.
According to court documents, the terror began just before 3 a.m. on Thursday when Caldwell allegedly shut off the home's main water line in an attempt to lure the victims outside. When that tactic failed, police say he escalated the attack by setting his ex-girlfriend's car on fire and hurling homemade Molotov cocktails through her living room window.
The devices quickly filled the home with thick smoke, trapping the victims inside and forcing them to jump from a burning porch to save their lives.
When Surprise police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Caldwell still on the property, sitting inside his vehicle. A subsequent search of his car yielded five additional unexploded devices.
'Three blasts' and an evacuation
The attack sent shock waves through the neighborhood, prompting police to execute emergency evacuations for nearby residents due to the volatile explosives reportedly found in Caldwell's vehicle.
Displaced residents were allowed back into their homes after roughly 30 to 45 minutes once local authorities secured the scene.
Carman Caldwell (Maricopa County)
Evidence of premeditation and motive
Detectives said they established a timeline of premeditation, tracking down surveillance footage from Caldwell's workplace in Phoenix that showed him filling up gas cans the night before the attack.
During his initial court appearance, prosecutors successfully argued for a stringent cash-only bond, citing extreme concerns for the victims' safety and pointing to Caldwell's financial and domestic malice as the driving motive.
"The state does have extreme concerns for the safety of the victim based on [the] allegations, but also statements that the suspect made," the prosecution stated in court. "He said something to the effect of: 'If I can't have the house, why should they have it?'"
What's next:
A judge set Caldwell’s bond at $750,000, cash-only. He remains in custody pending his next scheduled court date.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the Surprise Police Department, Maricopa County Superior Court and interviews with neighbors who were evacuated.