Deadly Arson That Killed 3: Manuel Escamilla Learns Sentence

JOLIET, IL — Now 23 years old, Manuel Escamilla has been living in the Will County Jail for almost six years, since June 9, 2017, and this week he pleaded guilty and learned his prison sentence for his role in the flare gun deaths of three Joliet residents: Jacquetta Rogers, 29, Regina Rogers, 28, and Regina's 11-month-old daughter, Royalty Rogers.

Their two-story house on North Center Street went up in flames, and they died during the overnight blaze on June 3, 2017.

For pleading guilt to aggravated arson, Escamilla received a prison sentence of 18 years, of which he will have to serve at 85 percent.

Escamilla does get credit for time already served in the Will County Jail, which was more than five-and-a-half-years.

At the time of his Joliet police arrest, Escamilla came from the 100 block of Hunter Avenue.

Joliet Patch previously reported that the intended target of the near west-side arson was Joliet gang member Rakeem "Rocky" Venson, formerly of Milwaukee, who managed to escape the fire while everyone else inside the house perished.

In 2019, Tomczak said that his client, then 18, was actually asleep inside the Chrysler Pacifica of co-defendants Cerros and Manuel A. Escamilla, also then 18. Raya was suddenly awakened from his slumber by the pops of the flare gun being discharged, according to his attorney.

"He saw Andy Cerros holding the plastic flare gun. He also heard Andy Cerros admitting that he had shot the flare through the second story of the residence," Tomczak said.

After the deadly arson, Escamilla and Cerros went and hid the flare gun to make sure the Joliet Police did not find it, Tomczak claimed. The gun was never recovered by police.

The North Center house on Joliet's near west side where the triple homicide occurred has since been demolished.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet Triple Murder: Flare Gun Shooter Andy Cerros Sentenced

Triple Murder Charges Dismissed In Eric Raya's Plea

Joliet Teens Being Held Accountable For Arson Killing 3: Police Chief