Loudon Avenue Fire Update: Two Men Charged with Arson, Attempted Murder

Two men have been charged with arson and attempted murder in connection with the , according to police.

Edvin Giovanni Ceron Reyes, 23, of Hyattsville, and Santiago A. Gonzalez-Miner, 43, of 6383 Forrest Avenue in Elkridge, each face attempted murder and arson charges. On Thursday, police arrested the two men, who are being held in Howard County Detention Center without bond, police said in a press release.

When fire overtook the two-story Loudon Avenue home in February, there were 11 people inside. The fire was reported at 11:53 p.m. and witnesses close to the victims told Patch that most of them were asleep when the blaze began. Nine residents inside the house escaped through the rear, including an infant, said witnesses; but two people who were trapped had to jump from a second-story ledge to get away safely, said police.

"One female victim was transported to the University of Maryland, Shock Trauma Center, in critical condition, and was subsequently treated and released," police said.

There were no other injuries.

In March, when , police were investigating it as possibly a domestic-related incident. On July 8, officials confirmed that one of the suspects had been in a relationship with an occupant of the Loudon Avenue house.

“Investigators believe Gonzalez was going through a divorce with his wife and conspired with Reyes to set fire to her home in an attempt to kill her and her male acquaintance,” police said in a release.

According to officials, the porch of the residence was set on fire.

There was a total of $302,000 in fire damage to the 6345 Loudon Avenue home and the residence next door. A vehicle valued at $4,000 was also destroyed.

No one currently lives at the targeted home, which stands, still charred, on Loudon Avenue.