NYPD arrests actor Nargis Fakhri's sister Aliya for allegedly murdering ex-lover, his friend

Aliya Fakhri, the sister of American-Indian actress Nargis Fakhri, has been taken into custody on suspicion of killing her ex-boyfriend and his female friend in Queens, New York.

Anastasia Ettienne, 33, and Edward Jacobs, 35, were killed after Aliya, 43, allegedly set a two-story garage on fire.

On Nov 2, Aliya Fakhri arrived at the garage and shouted, "You're all going to die today," at Jacobs, who lived upstairs.

A witness, hearing her shout, went outside and discovered the building was on fire, according to District Attorney Melinda Katz.

Jacobs was asleep at the time. Ettienne, alerted to the fire, came downstairs but went back up to save Jacobs.

Unfortunately, neither of them managed to escape the burning building.

Jacobs and Ettienne died from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, according to a press release by Katz's office.

The release further stated, “According to the charges and investigation, on November 2, Fakhri arrived at the front door of a two-story detached garage behind 172-27 91st Avenue at around 6:20 a.m. and yelled upstairs to 35-year-old victim Edward Jacobs, ‘You’re all going to die today.’ Soon after, a witness who was inside the property came downstairs and discovered that the building was on fire.”

“Ettienne was alerted to the fire and went downstairs briefly. The woman then returned upstairs in an attempt to save Jacobs, who was sleeping. The building became engulfed with flames, and neither Jacobs nor Ettienne could escape,” it added.

Aliya Fakhri has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder.

A grand jury has also indicted her for arson. If convicted of the most serious charge, she could face life imprisonment, according to her defense lawyers.

The court has ordered her remanded, with her next hearing set for December 9.

"As alleged in this indictment, 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," said Katz.

A witness at the crime site described a horrific ordeal, including smelling a burning odor before spotting a couch on fire on the stairs.

In a desperate attempt to escape the flames, he and Ettienne had to leap over the fire, but Ettienne courageously returned to try to save Jacobs.

The witness also testified that Fakhri and Jacobs' relationship was aggressive and that she had previously threatened to burn down his home.

According to Jacob's mother, he had ended his relationship with Fakhri last year, but she couldn't take the rejection.

He was a plumber and working on a garage conversion project when the incident occurred.

Aliya's mother expressed her disbelief at the incident that her daughter could take a life, highlighting that Aliya was someone who genuinely cared for others and always tried to help.

She also shared that Aliya had struggled with opioid addiction following a dental accident, a condition she believes may have influenced her actions.

Opioids are a class of drugs that derive from, or mimic, natural substances found in the opium poppy plant.