The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office announced Monday that two people, Tyric Green, 21, and D'Andre Morris, 22, have now been charged in connection with an arson that displaced a Cleveland family and left their dog dead.
According to the prosecutor's office, Green and Morris are both charged with the following:
- Six counts of Attempted Murder
- 10 counts of Aggravated Arson
- Four counts of Attempted Aggravated Arson
- Two counts of Arson
- Two counts of Cruelty To Companion Animals
- Two counts of Forgery
- One count of Possessing Criminal Tools
Cleveland Municipal Court records show the Cleveland Division of Fire Prevention arrested Green on April 24 and Morris on April 25.
The fire started just before 2:30 a.m. on April 20 in the 1200 block of West 106th Street at a home where Cecilia Li and her husband, Felipe Freitas, lived.
What happened?
An investigation revealed that Green's grandmother gave him money to pay her rent, but the bills weren't paid. After three months of not receiving rent, the couple reached out to the grandmother. Green allegedly then forged a bank letter saying the funds had been deposited.
Authorities say Green and Morris later went to the couple's home on April 19 to torch it but were unsuccessful. They allegedly returned the following night, and that time, the house went up in a blaze.
“Mr. Green lit fire to his grandmother’s landlord’s house at 2 a.m. while three innocent people slept inside, including a 7-month-old baby,” said Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “It is a miracle that this family was not killed or seriously injured. My thoughts and prayers remain with them for the loss of their home, their personal possessions, and their family dog Salami. We will hold these two individuals accountable.”
A daring escape
In the early morning hours of April 20, Li and Freitas woke up to find flames right outside their bedroom window.
Freitas helped his wife and child escape by catching each of them from a window.
RELATED: Family in shock after $500,000 Cleveland home gutted by arson
The couple feared they lost both their pets in the arson— their dog Salami and their cat Evelyn.
The cat was later found alive and taken to a vet, and when we last heard, it was doing well.
READ MORE: Cleveland family finds pet cat alive after arson destroyed their home
In total, the fire caused more than $700,000 worth of property damage, affecting multiple homes and vehicles.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the couple. CLICK HERE for more information.
Additionally, another GoFundMe has been set up to help the couple's neighbors whose homes were also badly damaged in the arson. CLICK HERE for more information.
