2 teens charged in torching death of NY man
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Two teenagers are facing murder charges in the death of a Rochester man who was set on fire in his apartment last week.
The 16-year-old and 14-year-old boys are accused of dousing Steven Amenhauser, 53, with an ignitable liquid on Friday then setting him on fire. Amenhauser died Tuesday after suffering burns on 70% of his body.
The Democrat and Chronicle reports that the 16-year-old told police he tried to ignite the liquid on the floor around Amenhauser, according to court records. The 14-year-old then used a lighter to set Amenhauser on fire, the 16-year-old told police.
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The 16-year-old was accompanied by his mother when he waived his Miranda rights and admitted to a role in the homicide, court records say. The 14-year-old also made a "spontaneous oral admission," according to an affidavit from Rochester Police Investigator Nicholas Mazzola.
The Monroe County District Attorney’s office has said that the 16-year-old will be prosecuted as an adolescent offender and the 14-year-old will be prosecuted as a juvenile offender.