Man Charged After Arson Kills 4 in NYC Building

On the night of March 16, a fire tore through an apartment building in Flushing, Queens, killing four people – including a three-year-old girl – and injuring seven others. On April 9, Roman Amatitla, 38, of Maspeth, Queens, was arraigned on multiple counts of murder and arson and is being held without bail. Prosecutors say he chose the building at random. He had no prior connection to it or to anyone who lived there.

Why He Did It

Amatitla told investigators he set the fire to release his anger after losing his job in the food industry, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office. He had no known relationship to the building’s residents and no prior grievance with any of them.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz called it “an act of mass murder.”

What Surveillance Showed

Surveillance footage captured Amatitla entering and exiting the building multiple times before the fire broke out, and that footage helped investigators identify and arrest him, according to prosecutors. He was arraigned on Thursday, April 9, following the March 16 fire.

Among the four people killed was a three-year-old girl. The victims had no connection to Amatitla – no dispute with him, no role in the circumstances that led him to their building. They were home.

What Comes Next

Amatitla is being held without bail following his arraignment, and the charges against him include multiple counts of murder and arson. He has not been convicted, and the case is proceeding through the courts.

The families of the victims have not made public statements as of this writing. Prosecutors have not indicated whether additional charges are anticipated, and the investigation is being handled by the Queens District Attorney’s Office in coordination with the NYPD.

References: Man charged with murder after allegedly setting fatal fire in Queens building | Queens man charged with murder in deadly Flushing apartment fire