New Jersey man who claimed he tried to rescue elderly neighbor from fire charged with her murder — and arson

A New Jersey man who claimed to have tried to save his elderly neighbor by running inside her burning home has been charged with her murder five months later.

William Ahle, 70, was arrested on Wednesday for starting the fatal house fire in Fanwood on July 25, which claimed the life of Virginia Cranwell, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced.

Ahle is believed to have called 911 to report smoke coming from a second-story bedroom at Cranwell’s home on Kempshall Terrace.

He told officials he had been walking his dog at 1:30 a.m. when he noticed the fire and rushed into Cranwell’s open garage in an attempt to rescue her, but was pushed back by the flames, WABC reported.

During his alleged heroics, Ahle suffered serious burns and was taken to the Burn Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze in 20 minutes, but found Cranwell unresponsive in her bedroom. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials launched an investigation into the fire and found the cause was an intentional act, Daniel said.

The Union County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Cranwell’s death a homicide, identifying Ahle as the primary suspect.

A SWAT team stormed into Ahle’s house Wednesday morning and arrested him, witnesses told WABC.

Ahle was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, first-degree burglary, and second-degree aggravated arson. 

Residents of the quiet neighborhood were surprised to find out Ahle is the suspect in Cranwell’s death.

“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 told the outlet.

“I can just say that 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,” the neighbor said.

Ahle is being held at the Middlesex County Jail pending his next court appearance, officials said.