Charges Filed in Minneapolis Fire That Claimed One Life

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Charges have been filed against 41-year-old Andrew John Nietz for allegedly starting a fire that killed a man in a Northeast Minneapolis duplex last week. Nietz now faces one count of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson for the incident that occurred on September 24.

Minneapolis fire crews responded to the fire on the 900 block of 22nd Avenue Northeast around 11:20 p.m. Once the blaze was extinguished, they discovered the body of 39-year-old Housley Lazor inside the residence. Three other individuals were displaced by the fire.

According to court documents, residents of the multi-unit building reported seeing Nietz at Lazor’s unit earlier that evening. Witnesses claimed that Nietz had a troubled history with Lazor, including multiple threats to burn the house down. One witness recalled seeing Nietz at Lazor’s apartment around 8:30 p.m. on the night of the fire.

Authorities learned from Lazor’s mother, the building’s owner, that Nietz had previously lived there but was evicted due to drug issues. The mother stated that Nietz and her son had been friends in their youth but had a history of physical altercations.

After the fire, investigators discovered that Lazor’s vehicle was missing but later found Nietz driving it during a traffic stop. A review of Nietz’s phone location data revealed that he was at Lazor’s residence from 8:06 p.m. until just before the fire started.

Court records also show that Nietz has prior convictions for arson, including a 2012 incident at the Mall of America and another for lighting a trash can fire at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in 2023. Currently, Nietz is being held at Hennepin County jail on a probation violation, with his first court appearance scheduled for Monday.