After Aliya Fakhri’s arrest for double murder, new details from insiders

Aliya Fakhri, who was arrested for allegedly killing her ex-boyfriend and his boyfriend, was a “good person”, her friends said, expressing disbelief at the brutal crime. According to them, the alleged murder committed by Aliya was a crime of “jealousy”.

Sade Jean-Baptiste and Jewels Boatwright (not her real name) told NDTV that Aliya, who they call “Athena” (according to her stage name), used to work as a stripper.

“She was a good person…passionate. But she lost it that night. This feels like a crime of jealousy,” they said, adding that they still “love” her.

Aliya Fakhri was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly setting fire to a two-story garage in Queens, New York, as her former boyfriend Edward Jacobs, 35, and his girlfriend Anastasia Ettienne, 33, slept.

According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Aliya Fakhri arrived at the garage early on the morning of November 2nd and shouted to Jacobs, who lived upstairs, “You’re all going to die today.” A witness came out and heard her voice and discovered that the building had been set on fire. Ettienne, warned of the fire, went back upstairs to rescue Jacobs. But none of them made it out of the burning building as they died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, officials said.

According to Aliya’s friends, her former boyfriend Jacobs lived in the garage and worked as a plumber.

Jacobs and Aliya were part of the same friend group, they told NDTV, adding that the two saw each other “from time to time” but it was a “turbulent” relationship.

The victims, Jacobs and Ettienne, lived in the same rented house in Queens with Jewels and several other people. At the time of the incident, all other people had managed to escape.

Currently, the NYPD is not allowing Jewels to live in the home because it is a crime scene, he said.

Aliya’s friends told NDTV that she spoke “fondly” about her elder sister and rockstar actor Nargis Fakhri.

However, sources claim that Nargis has not been in touch with Aliya for more than 20 years.

NDTV also reached out to Nargis and Aliya’s mother Marie Fakhri in Queens, but found their apartment was locked. According to her neighbor, he saw Marie two days ago. He also called her but she refused to talk.

“I last saw her two days ago… She is a very friendly, beautiful woman,” the neighbor said.

Marie has reportedly denied the allegations against her daughter, saying: “I don’t think she would kill anyone. She was a person who cared about everyone. She tried to help everyone.”

Aliya, who was indicted by a grand jury on four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of second-degree murder and accused of arson, is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 9. If charged, she faces a maximum of life in prison, the Queens district attorney said.

(With contributions from Natasha Israni)