This is incredible. Wouldn't you have loved to hear the conversations regarding this whole mess. I mean really, how difficult is it to burn down the right competitors business?
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McALLEN - Police say a business owner hired three Mexican nationals to torch his competitor's warehouse in McAllen.
Officials say Francisco Ayala Ramirez, 55, felt threatened by his competitor in the used-clothing business.
Ayala allegedly paid three Mexican nationals to burn down his main competitor's business. Authorities say the hired firebugs set fire to the wrong business last year. They say the trio destroyed JMR Recycling on 27th Street.
Police say Ayala owns Rammes Ropa Usada in Hidalgo. He was charged with aggravated arson.
The owner of JMR Recycling said the arson cost him $1 million and put about 70 employees out of work.
"I don't know who would do these things, but it's not right. ... Everything is lost," Marco Antonio Medina said.
The arsonists set Medina's business ablaze in February, 2013.
Medina said he has never met Ayala.
"I don't even know the man," Medina said.
McAllen Fire Marshal Juan Salinas said Medina's business was likely targeted by mistake. He said Halcon Ropa Usada was the intended target. Halcon's warehouse was torched last month.
Police records show a history between Ramirez and the owners of Halcon.
"Ropa usada (used clothing) is big business in Mexico," Salinas said.
Tips eventually led to Ramirez's arrest earlier this week.
"Crime Stoppers gave us a lead. That's how we were able to identify that he was the one that paid the three individuals that did the arson," Salinas said.
The owners of Halcon Ropa Usada would not speak with CHANNEL 5 NEWS.
Police said the three Mexican nationals are Jose Francisco Gonzalez, Armando Gonzalez Martinez and a man known as Ruben. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to call Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers at 956-687-8477.