A suspect has been arrested for murdering two men whose charred remains were found in a Brooklyn apartment arson blaze, police said Monday.
Alex Alive, 33, is charged with two counts of murder for the March 17 deaths in the four-story building on Bay 29th St. near Bath Ave. in Bath Beach, according to cops.
Firefighters discovered the lifeless men in an apartment where a couch had been set on fire, authorities said.
One of the men suffered a gunshot wound to the head and the other died of smoke inhalation, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a news briefing last week.
Police are still working to identify the victims.
“This location is known as a hangout for Russian males, who go there, hang out and drink,” Kenny said. “The tenant of record is a male 61 years old. We have not found him yet, so he may be one of our victims.”
“He is a really peaceful guy,” a friend of the leaseholder told the Daily News after the fire. “He’s not violent, He doesn’t fight with anybody.
“He welcomed people into his apartment, but other people abuse him all the time,” the friend said of the tenant. “He never make problems, other people all the time, they make problems in his apartment.”
The man, who asked not to be identified, called his friend the evening of the fire and was told Alive was at the apartment.
“He said [Alive is] sleeping,” the friend recounted. “I said, ‘What are you doing with Alex?’ Because they don’t like each other.”
The friend said he severed ties with Alive after being assaulted by him, adding that Alive is a violent alcoholic and drug user.
“Alex only beat women and men that were smaller than him,” the friend said.
Alive has seven prior arrests for assault and criminal possession of a weapon, according to cops. He lives half a mile from the building that burned, according to cops.
Police do not believe there are any other suspects involved in the slayings.
As Alive was led from the NYPD’s 62nd Precinct stationhouse Monday, the suspected murderer claimed he’s “not guilty.”
“I did not do it!” Alive shouted.
