Landlord with gang ties now accused in fatal 2024 bungalow fire
Naveen Alkhalil, 47, becomes 2nd suspect charged with arson in death of Ottokie Kelly
The owner of an Ottawa bungalow where a tenant sustained fatal injuries in a fire last year has become the second person charged with murder and arson in that incident.
Naveen Alkhalil, 47, appeared briefly in court on Wednesday. She's charged with first-degree murder, arson with disregard for human life, arson causing bodily harm, arson causing property damage, and possessing incendiary material for arson.
According to police, the fire on Rossland Avenue near the intersection of Meadowlands Drive and Merivale Road broke out around 3:45 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2024, and was a firebombing.
Paramedics treated one man and one woman for burns and smoke inhalation, and said the woman was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition.
Ottokie Kelly, 51, died weeks later in the burn unit of a Toronto hospital.
Sister of brothers in notorious crime family
In January, Ottawa police charged Ahmed Hozayen, 30, with first-degree murder and four arson-related crimes.
Investigators believed the attack was connected to a notorious international crime family. A few doors down from the rented bungalow, another home was once owned by alleged cocaine trafficker Hisham "Terry" Alkhalil, one of five gangster brothers from the same family.
Naveen Alkhalil is their sister and owned the home where the fire took place, according to property records.
Hozayen is believed to have set the fire at Alkhalil's behest, according to sources with knowledge of the case.
During Wednesday's court appearance, Alkhalil wore a green hijab and clasped her hands as she was ordered not to communicate with a list of witnesses in the case. She was remanded into custody.
Alkhalil's defence lawyer James Foord declined to comment to CBC. Alkhalil is due back in court June 4.
With files from Shaamini Yogaretnam