According to police sources, 38-year-old Roman Amatitla was apprehended on April 8, with the NYPD Warrant Squad taking him into custody at his Elmhurst home.
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
The man allegedly responsible for igniting a house fire in Queens last month that took the lives of four people, including a toddler, was charged Wednesday with a staggering eight counts of murder.
According to police sources, 38-year-old Roman Amatitla was apprehended on April 8, with the NYPD Warrant Squad taking him into custody at his Elmhurst home. Amatitla is accused of setting the fast-moving fire on March 16 in the vestibule of 132-05 Avery Ave. in Flushing, which had a slew of violations for illegal apartment modifications and cluttered conditions.
When the FDNY arrived to tackle the fire, they found several people morally wounded in the blaze. Three-year-old Sihan Yang, 50-year-old Chengri Cui, and a 61-year-old and 63-year-old whose identities are still pending proper family notification were among the deceased. Four others were also wounded in the blaze.
Sources familiar with the incident report that Amatitla had no connection to the building and did not know the residents. Police did not provide a motive.
He was questioned by detectives at the 109 precinct before being removed in handcuffs to face a judge. He walked with his head down and refused to answer for the alleged, horrific crime.
Amatitla has been charged with eight counts of murder, 12 counts of assault, eight counts of arson, and four counts of petit larceny, which stemmed from stealing beer from a store.
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