Bollywood actress Nargis Fakhri is facing unexpected media attention after her sister, Aliya Fakhri, was arrested in connection with a double murder in Queens, New York. Aliya, 43, is charged with brutally killing her ex-boyfriend Edward Jacobs, 35, and his new partner Anastasia "Star" Ettienne, 33, by setting a two-story garage on fire.
The local community has been shocked by the crime, which investigators suspect was motivated by jealousy. The Daily News claims that Aliya reportedly committed a violent act by setting the garage on fire and locking the victims inside. Tragically, the victims' heat burns and smoke inhalation caused their deaths.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz talked about the horrific crime, calling it a malicious act. His statement reads: “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.”
Nargis Fakhri’s Mother Defends Daughter Amid Arrest
While Nargis Fakhri, known for her roles in Bollywood films, has yet to make a public statement, her mother has defended her daughter. She expressed disbelief at the charges, saying, "I don’t think she would be killing someone. She was a person who was caring for everybody. She tried to help everybody," according to multiple news outlets.
A witness at the murder scene said that Aliya had previously threatened to kill Edward and set his home on fire. The witness recounted, “We smelled something sweet burning. I don’t know if it was gasoline or what. We ran out and the couch on the stairs was on fire and we had to jump over it to get out. Star jumped over with me but she went back in to save [Jacobs]. It was an abusive relationship. She told everybody [in the past] she was going to burn his house down, that she was going to kill him. We just laughed at her.”
Edward Jacobs' mother Janet told the New York Post that Jacobs had broken up with Ms. Fakhri almost a year before, but she wasn't letting the rejection go.