TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - A man accused of setting a fire that killed two Toledo firefighters no longer faces a possible death penalty if he’s convicted of aggravated murder charges.
A Lucas County judge dropped death penalty specifications in the case against Ray Abou-Arab on Thursday at a prosecutor’s request. The assistant prosecutor says he was making the request after evaluating the evidence, interviewing witnesses, and talking it over with the victims’ families, fire officials and investigators.
The 64-year-old Abou-Arab has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges accusing him of starting the 2014 fire at a Toledo apartment building he owned.
Abou-Arab now could be sentenced to a maximum penalty of life in prison without parole if convicted of the aggravated murder charges.
The trial is set to begin next month.
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