A Pennsylvania father now faces 25 charges, including attempted homicide, after allegedly confessing to intentionally blowing up his home with his girlfriend and three children inside, telling multiple people he wanted to see them all in hell.

Confession Uncovered After Years

Jacob Rabb, 41, was arrested this week following a nearly four-year investigation into a massive explosion at his Plum, Pennsylvania, home in 2022. His then-girlfriend, Laura Petty, initially believed Rabb was a hero who saved their family from the blast. She told police at the time that without him, they would not have survived. The three children, ages 2, 6, and 11 at the time, all escaped, though the oldest suffered first-degree burns while playing video games in the basement when the ceiling collapsed.

The truth emerged a year later when Petty filed for a protection order and discovered a chilling handwritten note hidden in her kitchen cabinets. The note read: “If I can’t have her, no one will, or my kids see you all in hell. P.S. I blew up the house,” according to police affidavits obtained by Penn Live. Investigators confirmed Rabb confessed to his father, stating simply, “Dad, I blew up the house.” A supervisor at a sober living facility where Rabb stayed in November 2025 also reported that Rabb admitted planning to kill himself, his ex-girlfriend, and their children after a final meal at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Escalating Violence and Threats

In June 2023, more than a year after the explosion, Rabb broke into Petty’s home and held a knife to her throat while threatening to kill her, authorities said. He allegedly told her, “Let’s play a little game,” before cutting his own arm and threatening to provoke police into shooting him. During his arrest the next day, Rabb admitted to disconnecting the gas valve from Petty’s dryer and turning on the gas during that break-in, though he denied responsibility for the 2022 explosion at that time.

Investigation and Charges

Police arrived at Rabb’s home on the night of the 2022 explosion around 11:30 p.m. to find the residence engulfed in flames with windows blown out and the garage door thrown into the street. Two neighboring homes sustained thousands of dollars in damage. A deputy fire marshal ruled the explosion was arson caused by natural gas vapors intentionally released through manual manipulation of a gas line. Rabb is currently held without bail at Allegheny County Prison and faces a court hearing scheduled for March 18. His case demonstrates the critical importance of protection orders and highlights the dangers of domestic violence escalation when warning signs go unaddressed.