Wanted kidnapping, arson suspect dead after police chase in Pittsburgh

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — A man wanted for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint Thursday from a campground in Butler County and setting her home on fire Friday in Westmoreland County has died after a brief police chase in Pittsburgh.

John O'Leary, 52, of Munhall threatened to kill the woman, who was able to escape after four hours, police said. She had been taken from Slippery Rock Campground.

According to a criminal complaint, the woman had a protection from abuse order against O'Leary.

The woman told police she spotted O'Leary from the porch of her camp trailer and he followed her inside, where he held a gun against her head.

The woman was at the campground with her brother to clean the trailer and the property.

As O’Leary held the gun to the woman’s head, he told the woman to “shut up” and threatened to kill her and her brother, the complaint said.

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O’Leary drove the woman and her brother to a restroom area and then back to the trailer, at which point the woman’s brother got away and flagged down security at the campground’s swimming pool, according to the complaint.

As additional security arrived to the area, O’Leary was seen driving with the woman to the swimming pool area, police said. When O’Leary spotted security, he stopped the vehicle and the woman got out and ran.

On Friday, just several hours after the activity at the campground, the victim's home in Irwin was set on fire in multiple spots and a gunshot was fired at the TV.

This caused schools in the Norwin School District to be put on lockdown, but that was lifted at 3:30 p.m.

O'Leary was spotted by police near the Greenfield area of Pittsburgh around 5 p.m. and after a brief police chase died, Channel 11 has learned. State police said O'Leary shot himself.

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