Earlier Hailed As A Hero, Boy Now Is Accused In Ore. Apartment Fire

ALOHA, Ore. - Hailed as a hero, 11-year-old Ray Martin DeFord was eager to tell how he knocked on doors warning people of a fire that ended up killing eight people - five of them children - in an apartment complex.

Yesterday, the boy was accused of setting the fire.

DeFord was to be charged today with eight counts of felony murder, authorities said. He was being held in a juvenile detention center in Portland.

By law, he cannot be prosecuted as an adult, Sheriff's Cmdr. Chuck Leutwyler said.

Investigators began focusing on the boy Monday night and believe he acted alone. Leutwyler refused to comment on the motive, how the fire was started or what led investigators to the boy.

Killed in the fire were Jeremias Aguilar, 37; his wife, Virginia Aguilar, whose age was unavailable; Karen Aguilar, 10; Jacqueline Aguilar, 8; Agustin Aguilar, 7; and Patricia Aguilar, 5.

Next door, the fire killed 3-month-old Selena Chavez and 16-year-old Francisca Aguilar, the mother of a child who was rescued.

Ray had told reporters Friday that he was awakened by squeals from a rat he had been keeping to feed to his pet snake. He said he then woke up the rest of his family and alerted neighbors.