NEW ALBANY, Ind., Jan. 15 (UPI) -- A teen has been charged with murder and arson in a New Albany, Ind., house fire in which three children died, police said.
New Albany police said an investigation on an unrelated felony arrest last week led them to tie Cody Cashion, 18, of New Albany to the deadly house fire Jan. 4, the (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal reported Tuesday.
Cashion was charged with three counts of felony murder and arson causing serious bodily injury after he allegedly fired a flare into the house, touching off a blaze that killed three siblings asleep inside, New Albany Police Chief Sherri Knight said.
Investigators allege Cashion was retaliating against someone living in the home following a "property dispute." During a news conference, investigators said Cashion didn't know if his intended target was inside and was unaware that children were asleep in the home.
"This is an extremely serious matter," Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson said.
At least one more arrest is likely, police said.
Cashion was being held on an unrelated charge in the Clark County jail in Jeffersonville, Ind., after he and a 16-year-old were arrested and charged with attempted murder, battery of an officer and other felony charges following a vehicle chase a week ago, the Courier-Journal reported.
Trinity Hughes, 2, Tyrese Hughes, 4, and Tai'zah Hughes, 6, died after the fire broke out in the room in which they were sleeping. A fourth child, Tatyana Hughes, 5, was rescued and hospitalized.
