Crime & Law
Murder, Arson, Fraud Charges Filed in Connection to 2023 Blaze That Killed Chicago Firefighter
One firefighter died after battling a fire in the 12000 block of South Wallace Street on April 4, 2023. (Credit: Chicago Fire Department)
Three men have been charged in connection to a West Pullman fire that killed a Chicago firefighter in 2023.
Martez Cristler, 22, of Hammond, Indiana, and Nicholas Virgil, 37, of Riverdale, each face three counts of murder and three counts of aggravated arson. Anthony Moore, 47, of Blue Island, is charged with wire fraud, insurance fraud and forgery.
Firefighters were called to the 12000 block of South Wallace Street on April 4, 2023, after a resident was awoken by a loud noise about 2:30 a.m., later smelled smoke and observed a house on fire, according to what Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Pekara read in court Friday.
Firefighters arrived on the scene, where they found a duplex on fire, prosecutors said. After forcing their way into the home, firefighters observed flames at the top of the stairs near the second-floor unit.
The fire soon spread to a neighboring home, Pekara said, and firefighter Jermaine Pelt took a hose line inside and went into the attic. Firefighters were ordered to evacuate due to dangerous smoke conditions, and when they got outside, they realized Pelt was not with them.
A team was sent back into that second home, where Pelt was found face down in the attic. Debris and a dresser were on top of him, Pekara said, and his mask had dislodged. Pelt was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:56 a.m.
Authorities said Pelt’s cause of death was carbon monoxide toxicity and smoke and soot inhalation; the manner of death was homicide. According to prosecutors, CFD tested Pelt’s equipment and found it to be in working order.
The Chicago Police Department, ATF and Illinois State Fire Marshal launched a joint investigation using accelerant-detecting dogs.
According to Pekara, it was determined the fire was intentionally set with “ignitable liquid” near the stairway on the second floor of the duplex. While the exact liquid couldn’t be determined, investigators recognized the smell of scented hand sanitizer in the debris.
That duplex was owned by Moore, who had purchased the home mid-renovation in 2021 for $35,000 to serve as a rental property, according to prosecutors. Since then, no one has lived there. Pekara said the duplex was “largely uninhabitable,” with no kitchen sinks, no shower drain and plumbing that wasn’t hooked up properly. There was no gas or water, no furniture and bare drywall.
Despite that, prosecutors said, Moore had insured the home with State Farm as a rental property beginning on July 13, 2022, for a one-year term. He provided the insurance company with a signed lease. Pekara said the policy was worth $339,000 for the duplex, $33,900 for the garage and $16,950 for personal property and living expenses — plus coverage for the loss of rental income.
After the fire, Moore filed an insurance claim with State Farm for loss of rental income, prosecutors said. He emailed the company a one-year lease dated July 5, 2022, at the rate of $1,350/month plus a security deposit. Moore also claimed loss of property, including a generator and expensive tools. But according to Pekara, someone who’d been inside the duplex assisting Moore with construction about a week before the fire said the home was unlivable and that the only items to be found were a broom, a garbage can, dry wall and garbage bags.
In April 2023, investigators went to a barbershop owned by Moore and found two empty 2-liter bottles of hand sanitizer in the dumpster outside, plus documents with his name on them, Pekara said.
According to prosecutors, Moore had two phone numbers. In the time leading up to the fire, he’d been in frequent contact with Cristler and Virgil, the other two men charged in the case. Investigators used cellphone records, cell site data, surveillance videos and license plate readers to piece together a timeline, Pekara said.
Cristler’s black Infiniti QX80 SUV — with a distinctive chrome vent, roof rack and black wheel rims — and Virgil’s dark blue Chevy Silverado were both at the scene before the fire, prosecutors said. Surveillance footage shows the sole occupants of each vehicle walk toward the duplex, where a bright flash can be seen, according to Pekara, who noted the flash “ripples light, consistent with flames.” Both individuals then leave the house, get into the vehicles and drive away.
But, prosecutors said, the Infiniti and Chevy would drive past the home multiple times that night before firefighters were called; cellphone records showed Cristler and Virgil were in the area and repeatedly in contact.
The first 911 call came in at 3:22 a.m., prosecutors said. Moore was on the scene about a half hour later.
All three men appeared in bond court Friday. Cristler and Virgil were ordered detained pending trial; Moore was released. Their next court date is Aug. 14.
Dan Lambert contributed to this report.
