A man previously convicted of arson is now facing charges for the double murder of two elderly sisters in Hollywood. Jovan Duverne, a serial arsonist, allegedly set fire to the home of Maria “Chelo” Vazquez and Yolanda “Yola” Honda on Feb 4. Both sisters tragically died in the blaze, with one of them attempting to save the other.
Witnesses saw Vazquez leave the burning house briefly before going back inside to save her sister Honda, who was recovering from hip surgery. Honda died at the scene, while Vazquez passed away at the hospital.
The fire, set intentionally by Duverne, took almost twenty minutes to extinguish and occurred just one block from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The family’s beloved dog, Coco, went missing during the fire and was never found.
Duverne faces multiple charges, including two counts of murder and 11 counts of felony arson. He is currently in custody without bail and is expected to enter a plea in court on April 8.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman condemned Duverne’s actions, stating that setting fires in a residential area demonstrates a shocking disregard for human life. Duverne has a history of felony convictions, including vandalism, resisting an officer, and arson.
If convicted, Duverne could face death or life in state prison without the possibility of parole.
