Nine-year-old to be charged with murder for Illinois mobile home fire

GOODFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) — A 9-year-old is set to be charged with five counts of first-degree murder in connection to the mobile home fire in Goodfield that killed five people back in April.

The juvenile, whose name will not be released due to their age, will also be charged with two counts of arson and one count of aggravated arson. Woodford County State’s Attorney Greg Minger did not reveal any possible relations to the victims, but did refer to the suspect as a “he.”

Minger also said felony murder will apply to the child’s murder charges.

After an investigation by the Woodford County Sheriff’s Office, Woodford County Coroner, Eureka Goodfield Fire Department, Illinois State Police and the Office of the Fire Marshall and Woodford County States Attorney, officials said they believe the fire was intentionally started. The incident was ruled as a homicide nearly two weeks into investigating.

It was also previously reported at that time that an unidentified juvenile was being questioned. 

The fire took the lives of five people; Woodford County Coroner Tim Ruestman previously said the victims died from carbon monoxide intoxication. Ruestman said 69-year-old Kathryn Murray, 34-year-old Jason Wall, 2-year-old Damien Wall, 2-year-old Rose Alwood and 1-year-old Ariel Wall died in the blaze.

Katrina Alwood and her 8-year-old son Kyle were able to escape. 

Eureka-Goodfield firefighters were called to the Timberline Trailer Court at 11:15 p.m. on April 6 to a fire at 14 Cypress Court. When they arrived they found the trailer fully engulfed. 

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