2 men charged with murder after Ill. fire kills 7

[March 05, 2010]  CICERO (AP) -- Murder and arson charges have been filed against the owner and manager of a suburban Chicago apartment house where seven people were killed in a fire on Valentine's Day.

Cicero police said 60-year-old Lawrence Myers and 47-year-old Marion Comier were charged Thursday with seven counts of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated arson.

Both are scheduled for bond hearings Friday. Police say it's unclear if they have attorneys.

The blaze gutted the two-story, five-apartment building. A man and woman, their two children, the woman's 16-year-old twin siblings, and a friend were killed.

Police Supt. Lori Lelis tells the Chicago Tribune that Myers owned the building, was having problems with the Internal Revenue Service and told Comier to "take care of the building."

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.