Grandson's Charges Upgraded In Deadly House Fire

JOLIET, IL - On the afternoon of Friday, March 22, a fire broke out at a far west side Joliet house on Glacier Ridge Drive. The Joliet Fire Department pulled 87-year-old Teresa Collado out of the burning house. Later that night, however, she died from her burns. Now, the Will County State's Attorney Office of James Glasgow has upped the charges against her grandson, William Vera.

On the day of the fire, the Joliet Police Department interviewed Vera and arrested him. Jail records list the two-story house with a Plainfield mailing address as being his place of residence.

In late March, Joliet Patch was in the Will County Courthouse covering Vera's bail hearing when Vera informed the judge that he had intentionally set the fire at 1906 Glacier Ridge Drive that killed his grandmother. "I did this because I have a mental disability," Vera blurted out.

Here are the upgraded charges against Vera, who remains locked away from society inside the Will County Jail, unable to come up with 10 percent of his $1 million.

Count 1: First-degree murder:

"Said defendant ... set fire to the residence located at 1906 Glacier Ridge Drive, Plainfield, Will County, Illinois thereby causing the death of Teresa Collado and Teresa Collado waas 60 years of age or older at the time of the offense."

Count 2: aggravated arson

"William Vera ... while in the course of committing an arson ... knowingly partially damaged a building of Teresa Collado: the residence located at 1906 Glacier Ridge Drive ... by means of fire and he knew or reasonably should have known that one or more person (sic) were present ..."

Count 3: aggravated arson

"William Vera ... while in the course of committing an arson ... a person, Teresa Collado, suffered great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement as a result of the fire."

Count 4: arson

"Said defendant by means of fire, knowingly damaged real property of another, Teresa Collado ... the residence located at 1906 Glacier Ridge Drive ... without Teresa Collado's consent."

Count 5: arson

"Said defendant, by means of fire, knowingly damaged personal property having a value of $150 or more of another, Teresa Collado ... clothing, furniture and appliances ... without Teresa Collado's consent."

Count 6: involuntary manslaughter

"Said defendant unintentionally killed Teresa Collado, without lawful justification, in that he, while acting in a reckless manner, performed an act likely to cause death or great bodily harm to some individual, in that he set fire inside the residence located at 1906 Glacier Ridge Drive ... with Teresa Collado inside the residence, thereby causing the death of Teresa Collado ..."

Count 7: criminal damage to property

"Said defendant knowingly damaged property of another ... and the damage to property exceeded $100,000."