Cook County Crime Stoppers offers reward for information in arson fire that killed 4 in West Englewood

Cook County Crime Stoppers on Tuesday offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in an arson that killed four family members last month in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood.

Crime Stoppers also released a new photo of the suspected arsonist. The photo was provided to Crime Stoppers by Chicago Police.   

The fire happened on May 20 in the 6200 block of South Paulina Street. The Chicago Fire Department raised a 2-11 alarm to bring about 100 firefighters.

Lisa Brown, 57, and Reginald Wilson, 62, were killed, along with two of their foster children, 15-year-old Ja'Quan Rattler and 8-year-old Royalty Rattler.

Brown and Wilson suffered severe burns and later died at the hospital. Ja'Quan and his sister, Royalty, died after being taken to the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office ruled their deaths as homicides.

A 14-year-old and a 16-year-old – also foster children of Brown and Wilson – were injured in the fire, but survived.

Neighbors have created a growing memorial to the family at the site of the fire, featuring pictures of the family, candles, handwritten notes, and birthday balloons for Royalty, who would have turned 9 years old on Monday.

"It was really sad to lose her as well. We celebrated her birthday yesterday," said Wilson's and Brown's son, Antonio Wilson.

Wilson said he hopes the reward being offered by Crime Stoppers will help investigators track down the person who set the fire that killed his parents and foster siblings.

"I really appreciate that. It shows that there are more people and more effort trying to get the people who murdered my parents," he said.

His focus now is on keeping his parents' memory alive.

"We been surviving, and that's the best way I can explain it," he said. "She was just one of those people that you could come and you could be vulnerable with, and she would understand and just, she would care. Now, Pops was just a super hardworking man."

Anyone with information on the fire can submit anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-535-STOP (7867) or online at www.CPDTIP.com

Cook County Crime Stoppers and volunteers plan to canvass the neighborhood on Wednesday evening to try to get more information in the case.