09/14/2016 13:08 FAX oe 002 Bonds Nowell “Tadeg: Peas Chisrpas NOs: fa Jive ASA Becky Walters Defendant: REGINALD HESTER, 51 y/o male Victims: 4 Deceased of no relation to the D: Shanlyah Staples: 7 y/o female Madison Staples: 4 y/o female Melanie Watson: 4 month old female kirk Johnson: 56 y/o male 2 Injured Surviving Victims: 33 y/o male 49 y/o male Charge: First Degree Murder (4 counts) Aggravated Arson (2 counts) CLX On August 23, 2016 at approximately 1:34 AM at 8114 S. Essex Chicago IL. officers responded to an apartment fire at a large miltiunit building, When emergency personnel arrived on scene the apartment building was engulfed in flames. Victims Shanlyah staples (7 yr old), Madison Watson (4 yr old), and Melanie Watson (4 wonths old) were at hone inside of the third floor apartment with the 33 y/o surviving victim, who is the father of Madison and Melanie Watson. The children's! mother was at work. Upon noticing the fixe, the father jumped from the thixd floor apartment with Melanie Watson in order to escape the flemes. Melanie Watson died from injuries sustained during the fall. The father sustained a broken pelvis and foot as a result of the fall and burns to his back, left arm and face. 4 y/o Madison Watson and 7 y/o Shaniyah Staples were burned to death inside of the apartment. The fourth victim, Kirk Johnson who resided at 8112 s. Essex in the thizd floox apartment (same miltiunit building, but different entrance and address), also died as a result of the fire. The 49 y/o surviving Victim, whe resides in the and floor apartment at above location, jumped from a window inside of his apartnent to escape the fire. As a xesult of the fall, this surviving victim sustained a broken ankle end broken wrist.99/14/2016 15:08 FAX 1003, A Witness, who resides in an apartment at the building that waa set on fixe, knows the defendant fom the neighborhood as a person who sells loose cigarettes. On August 23, sometine after midnight, this witness was walking from 79th and Essex towards her home when she saw the defendant. Defendant asked this witness to perform sexual acto upon him in exchange for $10.00. This Witness believed that the Defendant owed her an outstanding debt of $10, but also agreed to perform the act. Defendant and the Witness first enterad the apartment building through the front door, but the Witnesa then directed defendant out of the front of the building to the rear. Located right outside of this Witnesa’s back door were several lazge cardboard boxes, an old couch, 2 barbeque grill and a container of lighter fluid. The Witness instructed the defendant to give her the $10 and that she would then go into her apartment to get condoms. After receiving the §10, the Witness entered her apartiient through the back door and did not return, leaving defendant standing at the rear of the apartment. Defendant began to bang on the door but the Witness did not reopen the rear door to her apartment, nor did she allow the Sefendant inside. A short time later, this Witness noticed smoke coming back from her back door area and exited her apartment through the front door. While exiting, this Witneaa also noticed mmoke inside of the interior hallway. Upon exiting the apartment building, this Witness called 911. This Witness gave police a description of the defendant, male/black wearing a red sweater with black pants and the nickname "Church," woich is what she knows defendant es. This Witness pointed out the defendant's mother house to police. Police then spoke to defendant's mother who provided identifiers for the defendant. on August 23, 2016 Defendant was located and detained at approximately 7:16 a.m. by officers at 7636 Southghore Drive, as he was wearing a red sweater and black pants. Arresting officers confirmed with the defendant his identity. A/0s recovered a lighter from the defendant and noticed that the defendant smelled like suoke. Defendant was subsequently released pending further investigation. One of the surviving victims heard banging coming from the outside of the building shortly after 1 am. This victim looked out of his window towards the front of the building and’noticed a yerson wearing a red shirt walking away from the building. A short time later, this victim noticed that the building was on fire and jumped from his second Eloor window to escape. Further investigation xavealed the lock to the front door of the building was inoperable on that day, allowing access to the building without having to use a key.L004 09/14/2016 13:09 FAX Chicago Fire Department Fire Marshalle determined that the fires at above location originated on the xear porch (one point of origin) and the interior stairway (second point of origin) and spread upwards causing extensive damage through the roof and thizd floor apartments. An unknown ignitable liquid may have been used to start the fire. Defendant was placed into custody on September 12, 2016. Defendant subsequently admitted in a video taped statement to starting the fire on the xear porch area and in the interior of the building. Defendant also stated that he was pissed and wanted to scare the bitch. Autopsy completed by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office revealed: 4m/o Melanie Watson: cause of death; multiple injurles, fall from height during escape from apartment fire & carbon monoxide toxicity due to the apartment fire & mannar of death to be homicide 4,y/o Madison Staples: cause of death: Thermal injuries and carbon monoxide toxicity & manner of death to be homicide 7 y/o Shaniyah Staples: Cause of death: Thermal injuries & carbon monoxide toxicity & manner of death to be homicide 56 y/o male Kirk Johnson: Cause of desth: Thermal injuries & carbon monoxide toxicity and manner of death to be homicide itis the people's position that the defendant must be held no ball pursuant to 725 ILC 5/110- 4{a) in that this ts an offense where a life sentence may be imposed in that the defendant ‘murdered 2 or more individuals. It is the people’s position that the proof Is evident or the Presumption is great that the defendant Is guilty of the crime for which he is charged, D was Identified by a witness as the individual banging on her door and a short time later this observed smoke in the same area the defendant was just at. Officers smelled smoke on the D shortly after the murder. D made admissions to the police as to starting the fire.