Dec 5 (Economic Times) – Aliya Fakhri, actress Nargis Fakhri’s sister, was arrested in New York on charges of murdering her ex-boyfriend and his female friend. The incident took place on November 26, and according to Daily News, District Attorney Melinda Katz said, “This defendant maliciously ended the lives of two people by setting a fire that trapped a man and woman in a raging inferno. The victims tragically died from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries.” Aliya has been denied bail as of now.
Who is Aliya Fakhri?
Not much is known about Aliya, but she is a couple of years younger than Nargis and grew up in Queens, New York. Their father, Mohammed Fakhri, is Pakistani, and their mother, Marie Fakhri, is Czech. The two parents divorced when Aliya and Nargis were young.
The incident
The tragic incident began when Aliya allegedly set fire to a garage, killing Edward Jacobs and Anastasia Ettienne. According to an eyewitness, the situation was described as an abusive relationship. The witness said, “We had to jump over it to escape. Star jumped over with me, but then she went back in to save Jacobs. It was an abusive relationship. She had told everyone before that she was going to burn his house down, that she was going to kill him. We just laughed it off.”
However, Aliya’s mother, Marie, disagreed with the claims, saying, “I don’t think she would be killing someone. She was a person who was caring for everybody. She tried to help everybody.”
The arrest
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Aliya Fakhri had been indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and arson. If convicted, Aliya could face life imprisonment. The fire allegedly started when Aliya arrived at the residence early in the morning and shouted, “You’re all going to die today,” before setting the structure on fire. Jacobs, who had been in an on-and-off relationship with Aliya, was trapped on the second floor of the garage and could not escape. Ettienne, who was on the first floor, tried to save Jacobs but was also trapped by the flames.
According to the Daily News, prosecutors stated that Jacobs had ended his relationship with Aliya over a year ago, and Aliya struggled to accept the breakup. Jacobs leaves behind three children, including 11-year-old twin boys and a 9-year-old son.
Nargis Fakhri’s response
Nargis Fakhri has not commented on the case publicly. However, last week, the actress posted an update about her work on the upcoming film Housefull 5, sharing that the film was in its final schedule.
