New York authorities indicted a woman after connecting her to the scene of a Queens home that was set ablaze. The fire wasn’t even the worst part — it was who was stuck inside the fire.
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The Queens District Attorney’s Office said the incident occurred the early morning of Saturday, Nov. 2. Authorities said 43-year-old Aliya Fakhri arrived at a detached garage behind a two-story home on 91st Avenue. Prosecutors allege she yelled upstairs to her ex-boyfriend, 35-year-old Edward Jacobs, “You’re all going to die today.”
Shortly after the threat, a witness who was inside the home came outside to find the garage blazing with fire, which rapidly spread toward the home, prosecutors said. Another woman inside the home who was a friend of Jacobs, 33-year-old Anastasia Ettienne, was alerted of the fire and ran downstairs. However, she returned upstairs to retrieve Jacobs who was asleep.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said the two were unable to escape as the building became engulfed in flames. The two later died from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries.
Jacobs’ mother told The New York Post her son and Fakhri had previously broken up but claimed she didn’t take the situation well.
“He’s been trying to tell her to leave him alone for the past year, but she wasn’t accepting the rejection. They broke up a year ago,” said the mother, adding that Jacobs and Ettiene were solely platonic friends and not lovers.
Jacobs leaves behind 11-year-old twin boys and a 9-year-old son, the report says.
Fakhri, the sister of Bollywood actress Nargis Fakhri, was indicted on four counts of murder in the first degree, four counts of murder in the second degree and one count each of arson in the first degree and arson in the second degree.
“As alleged in this indictment, this defendant maliciously ended the lives of two people by setting a fire that trapped a man and woman in a raging inferno. The victims tragically died from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. Our condolences are with [the] families of Edward Jacobs and Anastasia Ettienne as we prosecute this case,” said District Attorney Katz.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Fakhri faces a maximum of life in prison. She’s due back in court on Dec. 9. She is currently detained on Rikers Island.
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