New York City officials have refused a request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold a suspect accused of arson that resulted in four deaths and seven injuries, according to DHS officials. The suspect, Roman Ceron Amatitla, 38, a Mexican national, is charged with eight counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson.
Amatitla is accused of setting a three-story building in Flushing on fire March 16. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said he entered and exited the building multiple times that day, urinated in front of the apartments, and bought beer from a nearby gas station. Authorities allege he stole a second beer and a pack of matches after refusing to pay for a lighter.
Katz said Amatitla returned to the building for a final time, lit a piece of paper on fire, and tossed it onto trash near a stairwell. As smoke filled the street, Katz said Amatitla stayed nearby, watching people jump from windows as he drank beer. She described his actions as an “act of mass murder.”…