Murder Counts Dropped Against Suspect in Fire
A man suspected of starting a fire that killed five college students in a house near Ohio State University in Columbus was released from jail after prosecutors dropped charges against him.
Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said the aggravated murder and arson counts against Robert Lucky Patterson, 20, could be refiled at any time, adding that detectives need more time to pursue leads and build a stronger case.
Patterson was arrested Aug. 1 and charged with five counts of aggravated murder, three counts of attempted aggravated murder and nine counts of aggravated arson in the April 13 fire.
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