Accused Killer Stabbed Man, Set Fire To Home In E Harlem: NYPD

HARLEM, NY — A Queens man is facing charges for killing a man in their East Harlem apartment and then sparking a fire that injured six other people in the victim's building, police said.

Aljo Mrkulic, 31, was arrested over the weekend and charged with murder, arson and two counts of assaulting a police officer, an NYPD spokesperson said. Mrkulic is accused of stabbing 30-year-old Christopher Rodriguez to death in his East 120th Street apartment building, police said.

When officers responded to reports of a fire at the East 120th Street building they found a "combative" Mrkulic blocking access to Rodriguez's ninth floor apartment, police said. Mrkulic fought the officers in an attempt to deny them access to the apartment and was taken into custody at the scene, police said.

After firefighters extinguished the flames, police found Rodriguez's body inside the apartment, police said. Rodriguez was suffering multiple stab wounds and medics pronounced him dead at the scene, said police.

Six other people living in the East 120th Street building suffered injuries during the fire, an NYPD spokesman said.