3 Girls Died in Arson Fire Set by Man Cheated Out of $10 Sex Deal: Prosecutors

CHICAGO, IL — Three sisters — a baby, a 4 year old and a 7 year old — lost their lives in an arson fire set by an angry man cheated out of a $10 sex romp, a Cook County prosecutor alleged Wednesday.

Reginald Hester, 51, of the 8000 block of South Essex Avenue, was held without bail on four counts of first-degree murder and two felony counts of aggravated arson causing bodily harm.

The baby, 3-month-old Melanie Watson, died despite the desperate efforts of her father, Michael Watson, who tried to escape the blaze by jumping from a third-story window while holding her. The baby suffered head injuries. Bystanders and then firefighters attempted CPR on the infant. The father suffered severe burns that night and was hospitalized in critical condition.

A fourth victim, a 56-year-old man who lived in an apartment next to the one where the Watson girls lived, also died.

Even as the flames roared the night of Aug. 23, Chicago Police tracked down Hester and brought him in for questioning. Several witnesses said they heard a man and a woman arguing just before the fire broke out.

Prosecutors say this is how the tragic episode unfolded: Hester and a woman in the apartment building agreed to a $10 sex deal, and she went into her apartment to retrieve some condoms but never returned. Hester was left outside on a back porch — along with lighter fluid, a grill, cardboard boxes, and a couch.

Assistant State's Attorney Becky Walters told a judge on Wednesday that Hester set the back porch on fire. "He was 'pissed and wanted to scare that bitch,'" Walters told reporters later at a press conference, describing the accused's confession. A resident of the building saw Hester walking away after she smelled smoke, the prosecutor said.

The woman Hester made the deal with, Latoya Terry, was interviewed by WGN News that night.

"He began to punch and kick at the door. I went in my room and ignored him," she said. "Never did I think that he was intending on setting anything on fire."

The fire spread quickly, consuming both the front and back staircases. People were trapped in the three-story building, and some jumped to the ground before firefighters could reach them with ladders.

About 200 Chicago firefighters battled back the fire in the dark of the early morning. Command issued repeated calls for more ladders. Ten ambulances were dispatched.

The blaze, reported at 1:35 a.m., quickly escalated into a three-alarm fire. When crews arrived, heavy fire was showing in the apartment building’s second and third stories, according to the Chicago Fire Department. For more than four hours, firefighters battled the fire and rescued trapped people.

The next morning, the bodies of the dead were found in the charred remains.

Burned to death in the fire were Madison Watson, 4, and 7-year-old Shaniyah Staples. Both girls were found huddled together and deceased in their third-story apartment. Their neighbor, 56-year-old Kirk Johnson, was found dead in his apartment.

Hester was arrested late Monday morning. Prosecutors said Hester confessed on video.

The woman who agreed to have sex with Hester told police she did so because Hester owed her $10 and she never intended to give him sex.

Hester, known for selling loose cigarettes in the neighborhood, has a felony record for drugs, weapons and domestic violence. He was described by relatives as homeless, according to a Chicago Tribune report. One also said Hester has a metal plate in his head, put there after a motorcycle accident.

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photos: Chicago Fire Department; Chicago Police

Read the charges against Reginald Hester