Man Once Hailed as Hero Now Charged With Murder in Deadly Fanwood House Fire
A Fanwood, New Jersey man once praised for risking his life to save his elderly neighbor from a house fire is now charged with setting the blaze that killed her, according to Union County prosecutors.
Prosecutors announced Wednesday that 70-year-old William Ahle has been charged with murder, felony murder, burglary, and aggravated arson in connection with the July 25 fire that killed 82-year-old Virginia Cranwell. Ahle, a retired Union County jail sergeant, lived next door to Cranwell for decades and now remains in custody without bail.
The fire broke out at Cranwell’s home on Terrace Street, a quiet residential block about 30 miles west of New York City. Fanwood’s fire chief said emergency crews arrived shortly before 1:40 a.m. that morning to find heavy smoke and flames on the second floor of the house. At the time, a neighbor — later identified as Ahle — told officials he had attempted to save Cranwell from the burning building.
Ahle’s reported actions earned him praise across the neighborhood. “The guy was in the hospital with a lot of bad burns after he tried to rescue her. I really find that hard to believe,” one neighbor said after learning of the charges. Another local resident expressed disbelief, saying, “I’m shocked. He’s a neighbor, and he seems like a great guy. And he originally helped her. He tried to save her. So it doesn’t make any sense, I just don’t understand.”
Ahle had reportedly claimed that he was walking his dog at around 1:30 a.m. when he noticed the flames and rushed into Cranwell’s open garage in an attempt to save her but was pushed back by heavy fire. At the time, he was taken to the hospital for treatment of serious burns. His apparent bravery earned him a reputation as a local hero.
Authorities now allege that Ahle was, in fact, responsible for setting the fire that claimed the life of Cranwell, a mother of three and grandmother of two who, according to an online obituary, adored her two cats and had lived in the neighborhood for decades.
Five months after the deadly fire, investigators arrested Ahle at his home early Wednesday morning. A neighbor described seeing a SWAT team storm his red house just next door to the scene of the fire. The arrest stunned many in the community, some of whom referred to Ahle as “the mayor of the street.”
“He was known as the mayor of the street,” a neighbor said. “Because he’s very helpful. He looks out for a lot of people around the neighborhood.”
Prosecutors have not announced a motive or released further details on the investigation that led to Ahle’s arrest more than four months after the tragedy. According to authorities, Ahle is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, first-degree burglary, and second-degree aggravated arson.
Ahle is scheduled to make his first court appearance later this week. He remains held without bail as the investigation continues.