Bethesda Man Charged With Murder After House Fire

BETHESDA, MD — A Bethesda man was arrested Friday and charged with the death of a Silver Spring man who died in a fire in his home this past September.

Daniel Lewis Beckwitt, 27, was charged with the second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter of Askia Khafra, 21.

Askia Khafra was found dead during a fire at the home in the 5200 block of Danbury Rd. on Sept. 10. Officials said Khafra died from smoke inhalation and burns from the fire while he was working in the basement.

Officials found an unexplained network of tunnels under the yard and said the home was "dangerous and hazardous to human life and the public welfare," according to reports.

After the fire, Montgomery County deemed the home unsafe because of "deep excavation and extensive network of tunneling and bunkers extending from under and out from the structure," according to WUSA 9.

In October, Montgomery County ordered the homeowners—brothers Daniel and David—to demolish the home.

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Court filings obtained by WTOP show The Department of Health and Human Services called the home a public nuisance and said the "severe" conditions made the home unlivable. The agency issued an emergency field notice, which condemned the building on Oct. 2.

FOX 5 reports Beckwitt is a well known computer hacker who was invited to speak at the hacking conferences DEF Con and ShmooCon.

Beckwitt pleaded guilty to computer fraud in the winter of 2013 for allegedly tampering with University of Illinois email accounts, where he was an engineering student.

Sources told FOX 5 that a bed and a computer were set up in the series of tunnels under the Beckwitt's home.

Beckwitt was arrested without incident at about 6:30 p.m. Friday in the 5900 block of First Landing Way in Burke, Va., police said.

Photo via MCPD