She arrived at the garage early in the morning on November 2 and yelled, “You’re all going to die today” at Jacobs, who lived upstairs and was sleeping during the incident. A witness came out after hearing her voice and discovered the building engulfed in fire, Katz said.
Ettienne came downstairs when alerted but went back upstairs in an attempt to rescue Jacobs. However, both of them died from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries.
“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,” the District Attorney’s office said.
Following this incident, Aliya has been charged with 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. According to the release, Aliya faces a potential maximum of life in prison if convicted of the top charge.
Who is Aliya Fakhri?
While details about Aliya’s life are scarce, here’s what we know.
She is a couple of years younger than her sister Nargis and was raised in Queens, New York City.
Her family background is a unique blend of cultures, with her father, Mohammed Fakhri, a Pakistani, and her mother, Marie Fakhri, a Czech.
Aliya’s parents divorced when she and her sister Nargis were young.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
First Published: Dec 3, 2024 12:41 PM IST
