Man charged with murder, arson in fire that killed 4 people, including pregnant woman and 2 kids, on Chicago’s West Side

By Asal Rezaei, Todd Feurer

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — A man has been charged with arson and murder in connection with a fire that killed four people, including a pregnant woman and her two children, last month in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago.

Lontray Clark, 23, was arrested Wednesday in Springfield, after he was identified as the man who intentionally set fire to a three-story apartment building in the 5200 block of West North Avenue on June 26. He has been charged with eight counts of murder, four counts of aggravated arson, two counts of attempted murder, and one count of residential arson.

A total of four people died — including Brad Cummings, 76, the editor of the Austin neighborhood-based The Voice newspaper. Also killed were Destiny, Regina, and Jayceon Henry — ages 28, 32, and 5, respectively. Jayceon was Regina Henry’s son, while Destiny was Regina’s sister.

A family member said Regina Henry was three months pregnant at the time of her death.

Destiny’s cousin, Latyra Goodman, said the pregnant mother went back into the burning apartment building to get her 4-year-old son Kyle, not knowing someone else had already dropped the child out of a window to save him from the fire consuming their third-floor apartment.

“If my cousin knew her son was already out of the window, she would have been here right now,” Goodman said.

Mitts said Cummings’ publication has been a fixture in the community for decades. It celebrated its 40th anniversary this year.

“He’s so active in the community. I just saw him Monday night and he wanted me to help him with a celebration for one of the Austin residents that was going to retire from the army,” Mitts said. “He had been on me all week and he don’t give up when he wants something and that’s the way he is in advocating for the community.”

Mitts has said the fire was started after a domestic dispute. Relatives of the Henry family members who died said someone threw Molotov cocktails through the windows before the fire started. Some residents said they heard gunshots before the fire started, but police have not confirmed those details.

Rev. George Smith, who is the cousin of the women who died in the fire, responded to the arrest in a statement, saying:

“I’m grateful to know, they have Apprehended someone in the fatal fire that claimed the lives of 4 , including my 3 cousins. We are praying and trusting God in all of this. He took precious lives from us and justice will be served. We would like to thank the Chicago police department for their service in finding this monster. Again we are grateful but it couldn’t never replace what he took from my aunt, her children and grandchildren are her everything. Now this is her new norm, life without her complete family. We ask for your prayers in this day-by-day process.”

Clark is due to appear in court on Saturday.

The family had been offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest in the suspected arson.

Approximately 140 firefighters responded to the blaze on June 26, using at least eight ladders to bring residents to safety from the flames. At least five people were pulled from the burning building’s windows, and others escaped by the stairs or jumped from the building.

Ald. Emma Mitts (37th), whose ward includes the building, said she knew Cummings very well.

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