Charges against woman in Aurora house fire upgraded to 1st-degree murder
Posted August 13, 2019 7:40 am.
A 36-year-old Aurora woman is now facing charges of first-degree murder and arson after the body of a man was found inside a burning home last month.
Police and fire services responded to a house fire on Edward Street in Aurora around 1 a.m. on July 27.
When officers arrived on scene the house was fully engulfed in flames.
It took firefighters about an hour to get the fire under control. Once investigators were able to enter the house, they found the body of a deceased man.
The victim has since been identified as 38-year-old Troy Stephen Oakley.
The coroner then deemed his death suspicious and a homicide investigation was initiated.
Melissa Galea was arrested that same day and originally charged with second degree murder.
Further investigation led police to upgrade that charge to first-degree murder, and also charge Galea with arson, six counts of uttering threats and one count of failure to comply with recognizance.
She is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
