A 28-year-old Lafayette Parish man is behind bars after allegedly setting a fire that killed a 9-year-old girl. An apartment caught fire early Sunday morning in an unincorporated area of Duson. Two adults escaped the blaze, but fire fighters could not locate the girl in time as she died at a local hospital. Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s office spokesperson Chris Cormier says detectives believe Julian Jacob set the fire.
“And we were able to stop him while operating a vehicle. Once we stopped him, we were able to apprehend him,” Cormier said.
Cormier says Jacob was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center and faces numerous charges.
“Charges of first-degree murder, counts of attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies, violation of a protective order, illegal carrying of weapons and possession of Schedule 1 narcotics,” Cormier explained.
No word on Jacob’s relationship with the people who lived inside the apartment that was set on fire. A motive is also not known.