The Chicago Tribune reports that a former landlord has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murders of seven residents of Cicero, aged from 20 years old down to just three days old. The victims were killed in a fire that was intentionally set in 2010 by the man, who owned the apartment building where the tragedy occurred.
Cook County Judge Carol Kipperman expressed her deep horror during the sentencing, stating she would have imposed the death penalty if Illinois law still allowed it. “Everything about this trial was beyond comprehension,†she said at the courthouse in Maywood. “His motive was purely financial. This case left me completely speechless.â€
Lawrence Myers, now 64, showed no emotion when the sentence was announced. He had been convicted by a jury in November on seven counts of murder—one for each victim. According to prosecutors, Myers ordered the fire to be set in order to collect $250,000 in insurance money and move to West Virginia. Faced with mounting debts, he hired his maintenance worker, Marion “Andre†Comier, 51, to carry out the plan. Comier is currently awaiting trial on murder charges.
The fire broke out on Valentine’s Day 2010. Prosecutors allege that Comier used gasoline to ignite the blaze on a back porch of the four-flat apartment building. The fire quickly spread and trapped several tenants. Among those killed were Byron Reed, 20; Sallie Gist, 19; their sons Rashon Reed, 3, and Brian Reed, just three days old; Sallie's twins, Elijah and Elisha Gist, both 16; and family friend Tiera Davidson, 18.
The fire spread up the only staircase leading to the second floor, where many of the victims were sleeping. Officials stated that the cause of death for all victims was carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation.
Two days after the fire, three individuals came forward to Cicero police, reporting that they had overheard Myers and Comier discussing plans to burn down the building. The swift conviction by the jury—reaching a decision in just 90 minutes—underscored the severity of the crime and the overwhelming evidence against Myers.
This tragic event highlights the devastating consequences of greed and the lengths to which some will go for personal gain.
Thanks, Dan.
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