Aliya Fakhri, the sister of Bollywood actress Nargis Fakhri, has been arrested in New York City on charges of first-degree murder and arson. She is accused of setting her ex-boyfriend’s house on fire in Queens, leading to the deaths of Edward Jacobs, 35, and his friend Anastasia Ettienne, 33.
According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, as reported by the Indian Express, Aliya allegedly threatened the occupants, shouting, “You’re all going to die today,” before igniting the garage. The fire quickly trapped Jacobs and Ettienne inside, resulting in their deaths from smoke inhalation and severe burns.
Indicted by a grand jury on November 27, Aliya faces multiple charges, including four counts of first-degree murder and first and second-degree arson. If found guilty of the top charges, she risks a life sentence.
Aliya is in custody, with her next court appearance set for December 9.
Jacobs, a plumber and father of three, had ended his relationship with Aliya a year before the incident. Despite this, Aliya reportedly continued to seek his attention, struggling to accept the breakup. Jacobs’ mother commented on the situation, saying her son had made it clear he wanted Aliya to leave him alone.
According to Jacobs’ mother, Ettienne, a casualty of the fire, was visiting Jacobs and was purely a friend.
Nargis Fakhri, famous for her roles in Bollywood films like “Rockstar” and “Main Tera Hero,” has not publicly addressed her sister’s arrest. She is currently awaiting the release of her next film, “Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1,” featuring Pawan Kalyan.
