Gregory Brown, Jr. Charged in 1995 Fire That Killed 3 Firefighters

A 39-year-old Allegheny County man has been federally indicted for a deadly arson attack that killed three Pittsburgh firefighters nearly three decades ago. Gregory Brown, Jr., currently incarcerated, was named in a one-count indictment for malicious destruction of property by fire resulting in death, stemming from a blaze set on February 14, 1995.

The fire erupted inside a residential rental home in Pittsburgh, intentionally ignited by Brown, according to the indictment. The flames quickly overwhelmed the structure, collapsing without warning. Firefighters Thomas Brooks, Patricia Conroy, and Marc Kolenda were inside when the roof gave way. All three died in the line of duty, their deaths etching a permanent scar into the city’s emergency response history.

Brown, now 39, was charged by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on November 1. The indictment was unsealed today, marking the culmination of a long-standing investigation into one of the city’s most haunting fire-related crimes. Federal authorities say the evidence ties Brown directly to the arson that claimed the lives of the three first responders.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence would depend on the severity of the offense and Brown’s prior criminal record. Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is leading the prosecution.

The case was investigated by a coalition of law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Fire Marshal, and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. Their combined efforts revived a cold case that had haunted investigators and the firefighting community for years.

An indictment is not a conviction. Gregory Brown, Jr. is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. As the case moves forward, the families of Brooks, Conroy, and Kolenda await long-delayed answers—and possibly, justice.