Abington man charged with arson for setting girlfriend’s car on fire

ABINGTON – On Sunday, September 27, 2026, at approximately 10:20 p.m., Abington Police Officer Seamus Schmidt was dispatched to 954 Bedford Street after the Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call from a woman who reported that a man had just set her car on fire.

(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narrative of Officer Seamus Schmidt and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)

Officers Michael Walsh and Ryan Gillan also responded to the scene.

“While en route, the reporting party identified the male party as her boyfriend, Joseph Gilmartin,” Officer Schmidt said.

According to police, Joseph Gilmartin, 68, is a resident of Abington, MA.

“Upon arrival the Abington Fire Department was already on scene and put out the fire using a fire extinguisher. The fire was burning within the interior of a 2020 Nissan Rogue,” Officer Schmidt said. Later adding, “I could smell the odor of fire/smoke coming from the vehicle.”

At around this time, Officer Schmidt said the reporting party was located outside her residence. She told police that her boyfriend was inside her apartment.

Officer Schmidt said that at one point while police were investigating, Officer Gillan requested that the Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Center query the registered owner of the Nissan, and the center stated that the Nissan was registered to the reporting party.

“At this time, Officer Walsh and I entered the residence, where we made contact with Joseph,” Officer Schmidt said.

After Gilmartin confirmed his identity, Officer Schmidt said that he read him his Miranda rights from a card he carries on his person, and Gilmartin acknowledged them.

“At this time, I asked Joseph if he knew why police were there, to which he stated it was because his girlfriend claimed someone set her vehicle on fire,” Officer Schmidt said.

Officer Schmidt asked Gilmartin if he set the vehicle on fire, and Gilmartin said he had not.

Officer Schmidt said he then asked Gilmartin what time he left the residence, and Gilmartin said he left at around 9:00 p.m. to take out the trash.

“Joseph stated that after he took out the trash, he returned to his residence immediately,” Officer Schmidt said. “It should be noted that the apartment’s dumpster is located in the parking lot and is approximately 20 feet from the Nissan.”

Officer Schmidt said that while he continued to speak with Gilmartin, Officer Gillan spoke with the reporting party.

“While speaking with the reporting party, Officer Gillan observed what appeared to be soot on her shoes, sweatpants and hands,” Officer Schmidt said. “[The reporting party] explained that she had attempted to put out the fire.”

Officer Schmidt said the reporting party declined transport to the hospital offered by Abington Fire Department personnel.

“After I finished speaking with Joseph I spoke with [the reporting party],” Officer Schmidt said.

Officer Schmidt said the reporting party told him that she returned home from the Dollar Tree store, and Gilmartin, whom she had not been getting along with lately, was upset with her because she was going to leave him.

The reporting party stated that once she entered the residence, she could tell that Gilmartin – who she said drinks bourbon and beer every night – had been drinking.

“It should be noted that Joseph did inform me that he drinks bourbon on a regular basis,” Officer Schmidt said.

The reporting party said that Gilmartin began yelling and swearing at her, then said he was going to go outside to her vehicle to look for the charge card he allows her to use.

After Gilmartin left the apartment, the reporting party said she looked out the window and observed him in the rear passenger side of her vehicle with the door open.

“[The reporting party] stated she then observed the inside of the vehicle beginning to catch fire, as Joseph, slowly backed away from the vehicle, he returned to the residence, and sat on the couch,” Officer Schmidt said.

Officer Schmidt asked the reporting party what Gilmartin used to start the fire and she said a lighter.

“It should be noted that I observed a few butane torches inside of the residence,” Officer Schmidt said.

Officer Schmidt then asked the reporting party if Gilmartin used one of the butane torches to set the fire and she said he used a lighter and a notebook that had been on the back seat of her vehicle.

Officer Schmidt said he then spoke with Gilmartin who denied ever setting fire to the interior of the vehicle.

“I asked Joseph at what time did he realize the vehicle was on fire, to which he stated he noticed when [the reporting party] began screaming about it,” Officer Schmidt said.

Officer Schmidt said Gilmartin told him that when the reporting party began screaming, he looked outside, saw the vehicle was on fire and then sat back down on the couch.

“At this time, I asked Joseph who he thinks may have started the fire, to which he replied that he did not even know there was a fire,” Officer Schmidt said. “It was clear to me at this time that Joseph was not being completely honest, for he had just stated a minute prior that he observed the fire.”

Officer Schmidt said that, at this time, he made contact with a neighbor who lives in a different apartment in the same building, because there was a camera at their apartment that was pointing in the general direction of where the Nissan was.

“The camera did not show anything for it is motion activated and was too far away from the Nissan,” Officer Schmidt said.

Officer Schmidt said that, based on the facts and information provided by the reporting party, who stated that she witnessed Gilmartin approach the vehicle and then observed a fire start inside the rear of the vehicle as he backed away, Officer Gillan and Officer Walsh placed Gilmartin into custody.

Gilmartin was then handcuffed and placed in the rear of a cruiser for transport to the Abington Police Department for booking.

Officer Schmidt said the Plymouth County Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) was also contacted to come to the scene to take photos of the property damage caused to the Nissan.

Officer Schmidt said he and Officer Gillan informed the reporting party of her right to seek an abuse prevention order (209A) but she declined to do so at that time.

“At approximately 10:57 p.m., Lieutenant [Jason] Tibbetts from Plymouth County BCI arrived on scene and took pictures of the property damage to the Nissan,” Officer Schmidt said. “It should be noted that the damages were all inside of the vehicle, mainly the rear seat, which consisted of a hole burnt into the seat. Also, there were several burnt pieces of paper, which appeared as if a notebook was used to start the fire.”

Officer Schmidt said that both he and Officer Gillan informed the reporting party of her

abuse prevention order rights, which she declined at this time.

“Both [the reporting party] and Joseph explained that a physical altercation had not occurred this evening,” Officer Schmidt added.

At around this time, Officer Walsh transported Gilmartin to the Abington Police Department for booking.

After Gilmartin was booked, his bail was set at $1,500 cash.

Officer Schmidt said Gilmartin couldn’t make bail so he was transported to the Plymouth County Jail to be held until his arraignment.

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Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place in September, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.

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