Three charged with Joliet arson fire that killed two women and baby

Three people have been charged with murder for an arson fire last month that killed two women and an 11-month-old girl in southwest suburban Joliet.

Andy Cerros, 17; Manuel A. Escamila, 18; and Eric J. Raya, 18, each face six counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder and three counts of arson, the Will County state’s attorney’s office announced Thursday.

The men discharged a flare gun at a home in the 0-100 block of North Center Street in Joliet, causing a fire that killed 28-year-old Regina Rogers, her 11-month-old daughter Royalty Rogers, and 29-year-old Jacquetta Rogers, prosecutors said.

They were trying to kill a man who escaped the fire unharmed by jumping from the second floor, according to prosecutors.

The three were already in custody on unrelated charges, prosecutors said. Each was ordered held on a $10 million bond for the new charges.

“These charges reflect the dogged determination these detectives and their entire division demonstrate on every single case they handle,” State’s Attorney James Glasgow said in the statement. “They literally leave no stone unturned when it comes to protecting the citizens of Joliet.”