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The former Bellwood-Antis High School student accused of setting the district's middle school on fire in December 2024 was furloughed from prison Monday to participate in a community-based intensive treatment program.
Elias Izaha Lynn Alley, 21, faces single felony counts of arson, burglary, institutional vandalism, criminal trespass and criminal mischief. He has been incarcerated at the Blair County Prison in lieu of $1 million bail since his 2024 arrest.
In a document dated Oct. 5, Judge Paula M. Aigner ordered Alley's furlough from prison under the condition he is admitted to the community-based intensive treatment program through Nulton Diagnostics and Treatment Center.
While furloughed, Alley will be required to adhere to "all treatment recommendations of the program," undergo an evaluation through the Blair Drug and Alcohol partnership and reside in a community living facility, where he will participate in "all recommended programming," including "support groups, volunteering and basic life skills courses."
Aigner wrote in the order that if Alley does not comply with any of his conditions, his case manager would make a report to Alley's attorney and the district attorney.
The arson charges stem from an incident in the early morning hours of Dec. 17, 2024, when officers responded to a fire at the Bellwood-Antis Middle School. Alley allegedly admitted to state police that he broke into the school and set the fire, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
A notice issued by the district stated the fire was set in the building's gymnasium and boiler room area, while the affidavit stated it was set in the wrestling room.
In an interview, Alley allegedly admitted he used a rock to break a window and "dove" through the window. He used a lighter to set fire to a garbage bag in the corner of the wrestling room, according to court documents.
Alley previously participated in the county's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, but consented to be removed after he failed to comply with the conditions of his court-ordered supervision. The process of removing him from the program was ongoing at the time of the arson.
In 2025, Alley received further treatment at Torrance State Hospital. This resulted in the court being satisfied he would be able to participate in his legal proceedings.
Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks previously said he had called the state Department of Corrections about having Alley admitted into the state drug and alcohol treatment program because he couldn't "think of a better candidate than this defendant."
Alley has two separate additional cases filed against him from 2024, in which he is charged with felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property and misdemeanor counts of simple assault, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. He is scheduled for jury selection Oct. 26 in the arson case.
Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.