A man charged in connection with an apartment building fire that killed four people in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood faced a judge for the first time for a detention hearing on Saturday.
Lontray Clark is accused of starting the fire following a domestic dispute with one of the surviving victims, his ex-girlfriend.
Prosecutors alleged in court that Clark became upset after learning that his ex-girlfriend was possibly dating his friend. Prosecutors said the situation escalated when Clark saw a selfie that was posted by his ex-girlfriend on social media. That’s when he came up with a plan to harm them by setting his friend’s apartment building on fire, according to prosecutors.
The 23-year-old suspect was charged with 19 felony counts of murder and arson. Clark was taken into custody in Springfield after being on the run for nearly two weeks.
Investigators believe he intentionally set the fire on June 26th near Laramie and North Avenues, killing four people and injuring several others.
According to prosecutors, Clark was with his cousin on the night of the fire. Shortly after learning his ex might be dating his friend, Clark was caught on surveillance video at a gas station filling a container of gasoline.
Then, he was seen on video at a food store purchasing a face mask and a lighter. Prosecutors said the duo drove to the apartment building, where Clark was seen on a surveillance video coming and going from an alley where they had parked their car.
At one point, prosecutors said he returned without the container. His cousin, who stayed behind, told investigators, “Clark banged his hand on a center console and told him that he had just lit the house on fire.”
Clark’s defense argued that they have not seen the surveillance video. Prosecutors in court said Clark has a prior felony conviction from 2021 in Sangamon County for possession of firearm with a revoked Firearm Owners Identification card and two pending misdemeanor cases in Winnebago County for resisting officers.
Family said Destiny Henry died running back into the burning building, trying to save her 5-year-old son. He survived but remains in the hospital sedated and intubated with a head injury and burns to his face and body.
Henry’s family was not in court, but her cousin, Rev. George Smith Jr. issued a statement to NBC 5: “I’m grateful to know, they have apprehended someone in the fatal fire that claimed the lives of 4, including my 3 cousins. We are praying and trusting God in all of this. He took precious lives from us and justice will be served. We would like to thank the Chicago police department for their service in finding this monster. Again we are grateful but it couldn’t never replace what he took from my aunt, her children and grandchildren are her everything. Now this is her new norm , life without her complete family. We ask for your prayers in this day by day process.”
The judge calls the case horrific and after hearing the evidence Clark was denied pre-trial release. He was set to reappear in court on Monday.
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