Background: The scene of the house fire that killed Raymond Bell, 25, in Philadelphia, Pa. (WPVI). Inset: Chardae Sapp (Philadelphia Police/WPVI).
A Pennsylvania woman is accused of killing her cousin by starting a house fire — but her intended target was allegedly someone else entirely.
Chardae Sapp, 34, is charged with murder in connection with the death of Raymond Bell, 25, court records show. Sapp allegedly sparked the deadly blaze in February — and, according to local ABC affiliate WPVI, told multiple family members what she had done.
Investigators say that Sapp told her father that she intentionally set the fire, and that she had wanted to hurt a different cousin who she thought was saying bad things about her, WPVI reported.
The fire started at around 1:38 a.m. on Feb. 4 in the historic Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood of Kingsessing, WPVI reported. The criminal complaint also said that Sapp told her sister that she "didn't mean it" when asked about the fire.
Sapp later told police that "I set the fire," according to the TV station.
"[A]n innocent person lost their life," she reportedly said.
Family members allegedly told police that they had seen Sapp inside the house before the fire started and that they tried to rescue Bell after noticing smoke in the home, but they were unable to reach him.
Investigators reportedly determined that the fire was intentionally set by igniting combustible materials in a second-story bedroom.
Sapp was arrested on Sept. 13. The reason for the monthslong gap between the fire and arrest was not immediately clear.
In addition to murder, Sapp is charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and arson.
She is currently in custody, according to prison records, and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 14.