'Our family is forever changed' | Loved ones remember victims of Lacy Lakeview apartment fire, demand justice

LACY LAKEVIEW, Texas — Family, friends and loved ones are demanding justice after 25-year-old Acacia Adams turned herself in for the deadly Lacy Lakeview apartment fire that left three dead and dozens without a home.

The Northgate Apartments caught fire and burned down overnight on July 16 and into July 17. Multiple tenants who spoke with 6 News, as well as Northgate Apartments leasing manager, Tabitha Milam, believe the fire was intentionally set due to an altercation that happened just minutes before everything went up in flames. 

52-year-old LaCresia Vanya, 50-year-old Marshall Burns and 38-year-old Kristopher Rowe all lost their lives in the tragic fire. 

"It doesn't make you feel blessed to be here, whenever they, you know what they suffered and that they tried so hard to get out," Milam said.

Vanya's family from Mansfield, Texas said their sadness turned into anger as Adams claimed she was a hero in a report they saw on another local news channel.

"We were in shock," Megan Taylor, Vanya's sister, said. "I instantly turned to anger."

"To find out that this woman is acting like she ran around and tried to help people," Vanya's mother, Deborah Taylor, added, "Went on the news, saying that she was helping people when she actually caused the accident. What kind of person does that?"

Adams turned herself in on the evening of July 20 after three manslaughter warrants were issued for her arrest in connection to the fire.

"It's a tragedy that could have been prevented," Megan Taylor said. "It's negligent, negligent, negligent and reckless. That is reckless endangerment, and the loss of three lives, innocent, beautiful people, good people, it's just sad. Our families are forever changed. I plan to get justice for my sister because it's a senseless act."

Vanya was a mother, sister and daughter. Now, all her family can hold on to are pictures and memories, but loved ones say her kind heart and big smile will never be forgotten. 

"She was awesome," Milam said. "Everybody loved Cricket. She just always had a story. It's very, very unfortunate that she's gone."

GoFundMe links for the families can be found at the links below:

Lacresia Anne Vanya

https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-memorial-expenses-for-lacresia-anne-vanya?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=widget&utm_campaign=p_cp%2Bshare-sheet

Kristopher Rowe

https://www.gofundme.com/f/kristopher-rowe-cremation-ceremony?member=28179601&sharetype=teams&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&utm_medium=more&utm_source=customer

Marshall Burns

https://www.gofundme.com/f/laying-marshall-burns-to-rest?member=28165041&sharetype=teams&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

More about the Lacy Lakeview fire: