Three Charged in Connection with Intentionally Setting Fatal Fire in Lowell

LOWELL – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey, Lowell Police Superintendent Kelly Richardson and Lowell Fire Chief Phil Charron have confirmed that Julian Boykins, 20 of Lowell; Alexander Gaye, 16 of Lowell and Tanya Karadanis, 19 of Dracut, have been charged in connection with intentionally setting fire to a building located at Westford Street on February 10, 2021. The fire resulted in the death of third floor resident Em Chak, injured three other tenants, two Lowell firefighters and one police officer; and displaced over 50 people.

Julian Boykins has been charged with murder, arson of a dwelling, three counts of armed assault to murder, injury to a firefighter, intimidation of a witness and conspiracy.

Alexander Gaye has been charged with murder, arson of a dwelling, three counts of armed assault to murder, injury to a firefighter and intimidation of a witness.

Tanya Karadanis has been charged with evidence tampering and conspiracy.

Shortly after 3:13 a.m. on February 10, 2021, Lowell Police and Fire responded to Westford Street for a 3-alarm fire that extended to two neighboring structures. Based on the preliminary investigation, the State Fire Marshal’s office determined that the fire was likely intentionally set by the application of an open flame to available combustibles.

Surveillance footage collected from the area of the fire showed that on the night of February 10, Julian Boykins and Alexander Gaye allegedly traveled to the Westford Street apartment building together and entered the back entrance prior to the building becoming engulfed in flames. The video also shows the two men, later identified as Boykins and Gaye, leaving the scene in a small four-door sedan.

On Wednesday, February 17, police located surveillance video of the sedan at a Merrimack Street gas station in Lowell. Later that day, police located the vehicle with Boykins in the passenger seat.  Boykins was subsequently placed him under arrest on an outstanding warrant unrelated to this incident.  

The subsequent investigation revealed that Boykins and Gaye allegedly traveled to the apartments intending to set fire on a trash bag before fleeing the scene.

While Boykins was in custody, he was in communication with his girlfriend, Tanya Karadanis. During that communication Boykins allegedly instructed Karadanis to remove the SIM card from his phone and destroy it in an attempt to get rid of evidence in this case.  Karadanis allegedly attempted to destroy the evidence as instructed and has subsequently been charged in connection with those actions.

 

Boykins and Karadanis were arrested today at a Pawtucket Street residence without incident. Boykins is expected to be arraigned tomorrow in Lowell District Court.  Karadanis was arraigned today in Lowell District Court. Judge Ellen Caulo set bail at $5,000 cash with conditions that she stay away from and have not contact with any victims or codefendants, submit to GPS monitoring with certain exceptions for work. The next date is March 15, 2021.

Police are actively searching for Gaye, and ask anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact Lowell Police. Gaye is described as a Black man with a thin build about 5 feet 8 inches tall.  He is believed to be in the Greater Lowell area.

This is an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to that office, the State Fire Marshal’s Office and Massachusetts State Police assigned to that office, Lowell Police, Lowell Fire, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Apprehension Section and the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office. The prosecutors assigned to this case are Christopher Tarrant and Maren Schrader, the victim witness advocate is Renee Leone.

The prior press release on this incident can be viewed here.