Posted on: April 09, 2026 02:45 PM

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Stranger busted for arson and murder in Flushing

The US Marshals apprehended a wanted fugitive at a Queens home yesterday and later transferred to the NYPD for the charges with the DA's office. This is the press statement from the DA's office -

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Roman Amatitla, 38 was charged with eight counts of murder in the second degree, arson in the first degree and related charges for setting a fire that killed four occupants of a Flushing building and injured seven others, including two firefighters. The defendant allegedly used matches from a nearby gas station to start the blaze and then watched as the building burned.

DA Katz said: “This was an act of mass murder. As alleged, Roman Amatitla deliberately set a fire in an occupied building and killed four people, including a 3-year-old girl. Shockingly, the defendant had no known connection to the building or any of its occupants and selected the building at random. I thank the brave FDNY members who risked their lives to save others in the building and the NYPD and US Marshals Service for apprehending this defendant.”

Amatitla, 38, of Maspeth, was charged in a criminal complaint with eight counts of murder in the second degree, arson in the first degree, two counts of assault in the first degree, arson in the second degree, two counts of assault in the second degree and petit larceny. He was arraigned before Criminal Court Judge Thomas Wright-Fernandez who remanded him and ordered him to return to court April 13. He faces up to 25 years to life, if convicted.

DA Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, on March 16, at approximately 11:43 a.m., Roman Amatitla entered the ground floor of a three-story building at 132-05 Avery Avenue in Flushing and left the premises approximately a minute later. The defendant remained in the vicinity of the property for another 15 minutes and then urinated in front of the location. Amatitla entered and exited the premises two more times in the following seven minutes.

The defendant then crossed the street and went into a nearby gas station, where he purchased a beer, stole another beer and asked the clerk for a lighter. When the clerk informed Amatitla that lighters were not free, the defendant settled for a pack of matches.

Amatitla then entered the building for a fourth time, lit a piece of paper on fire and placed the flaming paper on top of garbage located near a stairwell.

Shortly afterward, smoke began to fill the street. The defendant stayed in the immediate area and watched the fire consume the building.

Four people died in the fire including a 3 year old girl.

The defendant will enter a plea later this week for a trial and the investigation continues.