CLEVELAND — Two men have entered guilty pleas for their roles in intentionally setting fire to a home on Cleveland's west side in April.
On April 21, a family of three, including a 17-month-old baby, escaped their home just after 2 a.m. after it had been deliberately set on fire. The couple who owned the house along with their child were able to escape unharmed, but the family's dog died in the fire.
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office announced on Tuesday that 21-year-old Tyric Green pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- 10 counts of Aggravated Arson
- Four counts of Attempted Aggravated Arson
- Two counts of Arson
- Two counts of Cruelty To Companion Animals
- Two counts of Forgery
- One count of Possessing Criminal Tools
Last week, 22-year-old D'Andrew Morris pleaded guilty to the following:
- One count of Aggravated Arson
- Two counts of Attempted Aggravated Arson
- Two counts of Cruelty To Companion Animals
- One count of Possessing Criminal Tools
The pair will be sentenced on Sept. 24 in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
“It is by the grace of God this family escaped this horrific fire,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley in a release. “Unfortunately, their family dog Salami did not survive. This plea is the first step in holding these two idiots accountable.”
DETAILS OF THE CASE
According to prosecutors, Green failed to make three months of rent payments on the apartment he shared with his grandmother. After the landlord notified the grandmother, Green forged a letter from PNC Bank regarding the deposit of the funds.
Authorities say Green and Morris attempted to set fire to Green's grandmother's landlord's residence, located near West 106th Street and Clifton Boulevard in the city's Edgewater neighborhood, on April 19 using a "suspected ignitable liquid" while the house was occupied. The arson attempt was unsuccessful.
Around 2 a.m. on April 21, the pair returned to the residence and set it afire before fleeing the scene.
Three people, a 29-year-old female, a 26-year-old male, and 7-month-old baby were inside the home at the time. Also present were the family's cat, Evelyn, and dog, Salami.
The three victims managed to escape by jumping out of a window on the second floor. Salami was pronounced dead at the scene, while Evelyn miraculously emerged two days later from the rubble.
Proscutors say Green and Morris caused over $750,000 in damages, including to the surrounding residences.
