A man from Chicago is confronting charges of murder and arson, accused of igniting his friend’s apartment building last month. The fire, which tragically led to the deaths of four strangers, including a pregnant woman and her 5-year-old child, reportedly occurred after he learned that his friend was involved with his former girlfriend, authorities report.

Lontray Clark, age 23, is alleged to have started the fire in the Austin area of Chicago on June 26, according to police and fire personnel. He faces charges including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated arson, among other serious offenses.

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Clark had his first court appearance Saturday, with details being revealed by prosecutors on the alleged motive and text messages being brought up, where Clark allegedly called out his ex-girlfriend for posting a photo on Snapchat with this friend, local CBS affiliate WBBM reports. Clark allegedly went over to the friend’s building after seeing the picture.

“They had been arguing earlier and, the next thing you know, he was there at the building throwing a Molotov cocktail in the front, then one at the back door,” West Side Alderwoman Emma Mitts told the Chicago Sun-Times. “He threw the first one, then another one. So they were trapped. They never had a chance.”

The four people who died in the fire were not connected to Clark or his friend, according to prosecutors. They have been identified as Brad Cummings, 76, who is the editor of the Austin-based newspaper The Voice; Destiny Henry, 28; Regina Henry, 32; and her son Jayceon Henry. Destiny was Regina’s sister.

2-11 alarm EMS Plan 2 at 5222 W. North Ave. 5 lines on the fire. Injuries were transported to local hospitals. pic.twitter.com/nXsfU2FK6i

— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) June 26, 2025

After seeing the photo of his ex-girlfriend and the buddy, cops say Clark picked up a cousin of his and the two of them went to a gas station to fill up an antifreeze bottle with gasoline, which he used to create a Molotov cocktail.

The duo allegedly purchased black clothing, a face mask and a lighter before driving to the apartment building and tossing the Molotov cocktail at it.

Prosecutors say the cousin later confessed to police that Clark started the fire and admitted it to him — saying, “I just lit the house on fire.” Clark’s public defender noted Saturday how there is no surveillance video of her client committing the crime.

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Fire officials say the fire broke out around 1:50 a.m., with the girlfriend and pal who were the targets managing to climb out a window, WBBM reports. At least four people were injured and taken to local hospitals, including Destiny Henry’s 4-year-old son Kyle, who was in critical condition Saturday with head trauma and burns to the face and body.

An estimated 140 firefighters responded.

“It’s something that could have been avoided,” Mitts said. “I don’t know what goes through people’s head. They should be locked up and the key thrown away behind all of that.”