Naperville Owes $22.5 Million To Man's Estate For Wrongful Conviction

NAPERVILLE, IL — The City of Naperville must pay $22.5 million to the estate of William Amor, who was wrongfully convicted of murder for the 1995 fire that killed his mother-in-law. Amor was acquitted in 2018 after it was determined the fire had been accidental.

In 1995, Amor was arrested after his mother-in-law, Marianne Miceli, died of smoke inhalation following a fire in her home.

In 1997, Amor was found guilty of murder and aggravated and arson and sentenced to 45 years in prison after he confessed to igniting the blaze by knocking a lit cigarette onto newspapers soaked in vodka. Amor's confession reportedly came after 15 hours of questioning and shortly after Amor had received divorce papers from Miceli's daughter.

A jury acquitted Amor in 2018 after fire experts testified that the blaze that killed his mother-in-law Marianne Miceli would not have been scientifically possible to be started in such a manner.

In the wake of his acquittal, Amor sued the City of Naperville in 2018 for damages. He died in January 2023 and the wrongful conviction verdict was reached in federal court Monday.

"Prior to trial, the City of Naperville offered a maximum of $500,000 to settle this case, believing they were going to win," the case's lead trial attorney Jon Loevy said in a statement. Loevy added, "They miscalculated."

Naperville officials did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment Thursday morning.