Aliya Fakhri, the sister of Bollywood actress Nargis Fakhri, has been arrested in connection with the double murder of her ex-boyfriend and his friend in Queens, New York. Aliya, 43, allegedly set fire to a two-story garage, which resulted in the tragic deaths of 35-year-old Edward Jacobs and 33-year-old Anastasia Ettienne.
The horrifying incident took place in the early hours of November 2. According to District Attorney Melinda Katz, Aliya Fakhri arrived at the garage and shouted, “You’re all going to die today” at Jacobs, who was sleeping upstairs at the time. A witness, who heard her words, rushed outside to discover that the building had been set ablaze.
Despite Jacobs being alerted to the fire, he could not escape in time. Ettienne, who had come downstairs after hearing the commotion, returned to save Jacobs but tragically could not make it out of the burning building. Both victims died from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, as reported by the District Attorney’s office.
Aliya Fakhri has been charged with four counts of murder in the first degree and second degree, as well as arson, following a grand jury indictment. If convicted of the top charge, she could face a life sentence in prison. Her next court appearance is scheduled for December 9.
A witness to the crime described a chilling scene, recalling that they smelled a sweet burning odor before finding a couch on the stairs engulfed in flames. The witness managed to jump over the fire to escape, but Ettienne, who was with him, went back in to try and rescue Jacobs, ultimately perishing in the process.
The relationship between Aliya Fakhri and her ex-boyfriend Jacobs was reportedly abusive, with the witness stating that Aliya had previously threatened to burn Jacobs’ house down. Jacobs’ mother, Janet, revealed that her son had ended the relationship about a year ago, but Aliya reportedly struggled to accept the rejection. She further mentioned that Jacobs, a plumber, was working on converting the garage into an apartment at the time of his death.
Aliya’s mother expressed disbelief over the charges, stating that she could not believe her daughter could commit such an act. She also revealed that Aliya had battled opioid addiction following a dental mishap, which may have influenced her actions, according to several reports.
Nargis Fakhri, best known for her role in the film Rockstar, has not yet commented on the tragic incident.
