Landlord charged with murder in fatal blaze

Man indicted in ’07 Gloversville blaze that killed tenant

By KAYLEIGH KARUTIS, The Leader-Herald

JOHNSTOWN - Gloversville landlord Jeffrey Alnutt was indicted this morning on murder and arson charges stemming from a December 2007 fire that killed one of his tenants.

The indictment was handed down by a Fulton County grand jury June 24 and read by Judge Richard Giardino in County Court today. Alnutt, 55, was indicted on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter, reckless endangerment and two counts of arson.

Alnutt, represented by attorney Gerard Heckler, pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is currently incarcerated in the Broome County Jail on a 40-month federal sentence for possession of a firearm and was remanded there by Giardino.

Alnutt previously was indicted in January on one count of arson, three counts of insurance fraud, three counts of grand larceny, one count of reckless endangerment and two counts of conspiracy in connection with a January 2004 fire at 42 Steele Ave. in Gloversville.

Indicted on the same charges were Alnutt's daughter, Aubrey Pagan, 25, and her husband, Victor Pagan, 25, both of 32 Slater St., Amsterdam. The indictment alleges the three bought the property and then knowingly set fire to it in order to collect nearly $200,000 in insurance money.

The indictment today relates to another fire at 22 Park St., Gloversville, in which tenant Debra Morris, 39, died. Morris got out of the burning building but ran back in to save a pet cat.

The charges related to the 2004 trial carry up to 15 years in state prison. The murder charge alone handed down in the indictment this morning carries a term of 25 years to life in prison, and the manslaughter charge carries up to 15 years in prison.

Alnutt has two felony convictions from the 1980s, and his criminal history includes drug charges and bail jumping.

Giardino set a trial date of Oct. 19 for the charges related to the January 2004 trial. He asked Heckler and Fulton County District Attorney Louise Sira to file their motions and responses for the murder case by September and October, respectively.

In court, Sira said she was ready to proceed with the case and said she planned to present a number of conversations between Alnutt and Gloversville Police Department officials as evidence. She noted her office has an eavesdropping warrant in place and indicated she plans to present transcripts of recorded conversations as evidence against Alnutt in court.

Acting state Insurance Superintendent Kermitt Brooks issued a statement on the case. He said the case proves "government and law enforcement agencies can effectively join forces to solve complex cases."

Brooks noted investigators from the state Insurance Department's Frauds Bureau interviewed "literally hundreds of people" so the case could move forward.

Kayleigh Karutis covers Gloversville news. She can be reached at gloversville@leaderherald.com.