- By Aashish Vashistha
- Tue, 03 Dec 2024 12:44 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Aliya Fakhri, the sister of ‘Rockstar’ fame actress Nargis Fakhri, has been arrested on charges of murder following a deadly fire at her ex-boyfriend’s home in New York City. The incident occurred on November 23 in Queens, where prosecutors claim that 43-year-old Fakhri deliberately set fire to a detached garage.
The fire resulted in the deaths of her ex-boyfriend, Edward Jacobs, 35, and his friend, Anastasia Ettienne, 33. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz stated that Aliya has been indicted on first-degree murder and other related charges.
According to Katz, the fire, which was allegedly set by Aliya in a detached garage near the entrance of Jacobs' home, led to the deaths of both victims. They succumbed to smoke inhalation and burns after being trapped with no means of escape.
Aliya is reportedly facing multiple charges, including four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of second-degree murder, and one count each of first and second-degree arson. If found guilty, she could be sentenced to life in prison. Her next court appearance is set for December 9.
According to authorities, the incident occurred on November 2. Around 6:20 am, upon arriving at the two-story detached garage, Aliya allegedly shouted at Edward, “You’re all going to die today.”
“Soon after, a witness who was inside the property came downstairs and discovered that the building was on fire. Ettienne was alerted to the fire and went downstairs briefly. The woman then returned upstairs in an attempt to save Jacobs, who was sleeping. The building became engulfed with flames and neither Jacobs nor Ettienne could escape,” Katz said in a statement.
According to The New York Post, Jacobs, a plumber and father of three, ended his relationship with Aliya about a year ago, but she allegedly continued to pursue him. According to Jacobs' mother, he repeatedly tried to reject her, telling her, "Yo, I’m done with you. Get away from me." Despite his attempts to end things, Aliya reportedly refused to accept the rejection. Jacobs' mother also clarified that Jacobs and Ettienne were friends and not involved romantically.
Meanwhile, Nargis’ mother has refuted the allegations and said Aliya can not kill someone and asserted that she was not involved in the fire. “I don’t think she would be killing someone. She was a person who was caring for everybody,” Aliya’s mother told the New York Daily News.