Minneapolis man ID'd after alleged arson, longtime friend charged with murder
Family mourning death of their son in house fire
A family is mourning their son who died in a house fire in Minneapolis, which was allegedly intentionally set. FOX 9's Babs Santos has more.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis family is planning a funeral for their 39-year-old son, Housten Housley. Housley was found dead after a house fire in Northeast Minneapolis last week. Now, authorities say that fire was intentionally set, and they’ve charged Andrew Nietz with second-degree murder and arson.
Details on the fire
What we know:
The flames tore through property owner Pamela Lazor’s duplex on the 900 block of 22nd Avenue Northeast.
Once the fire was extinguished, firefighters discovered the body of Pamela Lazor’s son, Housley, inside.
"We never truly know how he died… when he died," Lazor told FOX 9 on Saturday. "We’re all very numb to it. I think we’re still trying to process it… a lot of emotion, anger, sadness."
Housten Housley’s life
Dig deeper:
Housley was a longtime construction worker, an older brother, and a devoted son.
His mom says she’ll miss him most for their daily phone calls.
"He was just a very giving person," Lazor said. "He had a lot of friends, and he always put everybody before himself."
According to Lazor, Nietz and Housley were longtime school friends. He previously lived in Lazor’s home, but was evicted for alleged drug use.
"He was a longtime school friend of Housten, but he had issues. Housten was always willing to let him in to his life," Lazor said.
Court documents say Nietz had previously fought with Housley, and threatened to burn the house down.
After the fire, Housley’s car was missing; but police later found Nietz driving it. Officers also noted he had scratches on his hand, arm, and face.
The backstory:
Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage and say the video showed Nietz returning to the crime scene while police and fire crews were still present.
Suspect’s history of arson
Minneapolis arson suspect to appear in court
A man suspected of arson at a Minneapolis duplex that left one person dead has been charged with murder and arson. Andrew Nietz is expected to appear in court on the charges on Monday.
Court records show Nietz was previously convicted in 2012 and 2023; for setting a fire at the Mall of America and at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.