N.J. - Virginia Cranwell, 82, Man Who Was Initially Praised For Trying To Save Her During House Fire Has Been Arrested For Her Murder, December 2025

[dalsglen]

He had the nerve to call the daughter to tell her the house was on fire.

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[Jayevee]

He had the nerve to call the daughter to tell her the house was on fire.

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Weird that in this article she says he told her he opened the bedroom door and got burned, and elsewhere it says he didn't go near the bedroom...

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Weird that in this article she says he told her he opened the bedroom door and got burned, and elsewhere it says he didn't go near the bedroom...

Things that make me go hmmm...

 

[alexwood]

NJ man charged with murder after claiming he tried to save neighbor from house fire

From the video in the article, at 0:18/2:40, reporter states that Ahle was a retired corrections officer.

At 0:33/2:40, you can see that there is a Weichert Realtor for sale sign in Virginia Cranwell's yard. This must have been after the fire and her death.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I wonder if he took insurance out on her ?

 

[acutename]

I wonder if he took insurance out on her ?

that would be highly irregular if they were not related- not even sure if it is legal.

everything about this case is weird- former LE; lived next to each other for years- kids must have known each other growing up; he knew the daughter's phone number.

 

[alexwood]

I'd like to know if he voluntarily retired from his corrections officer job, or was he forced to retire.*
He seems like a sociopath to me. Cracking jokes after he unsuccessfully "rescued" his neighbor from a burning house; calling the daughter, and portraying himself as a selfless "hero".

*ETA: "Ahle is a retired Union County jail sergeant, according to pension records."
Man said he rescued woman from fire. But evidence shows he started blaze, killed her, cops say.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Man said he rescued woman from fire. But evidence shows he started blaze, killed her, cops say.

Officials initially thought William Ahle tried to rescue his 82-year-old neighbor but he was seen on surveillance video going in and out of her house multiple times.

www.nj.com

He was seen on surveillance cameras entering the garage multiple times
He left a gas can nozzle with his DNA on it in her living room

 

[Eli9]

Man said he rescued woman from fire. But evidence shows he started blaze, killed her, cops say.

Officials initially thought William Ahle tried to rescue his 82-year-old neighbor but he was seen on surveillance video going in and out of her house multiple times.

www.nj.com

He was seen on surveillance cameras entering the garage multiple times
He left a gas can nozzle with his DNA on it in her living room

Not exactly mayor of the street behavior.

 

[Eli9]

that would be highly irregular if they were not related- not even sure if it is legal.

everything about this case is weird- former LE; lived next to each other for years- kids must have known each other growing up; he knew the daughter's phone number.

I keep thinking about the daughter. My mom would be complaining non stop to me if a particular neighbor was sus. I somehow think that this guy wasn't on the radar of the daughter and perhaps not even on her mother's radar.

What was he harboring to have done such a fatal and damaging act I wonder.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Man said he rescued woman from fire. But evidence shows he started blaze, killed her, cops say.

Officials initially thought William Ahle tried to rescue his 82-year-old neighbor but he was seen on surveillance video going in and out of her house multiple times.

www.yahoo.com

Surveillance cameras belonging to someone who lives across the street told a very different story, though.

The footage showed a man authorities say is Ahle enter Cranwell’s house three different times. In one instance he stayed inside for about 90 minutes, the court document said.

The first time he entered, he was carrying an unknown object, the affidavit said. When he stayed inside for 90 minutes, he was carrying a handheld light.

He was standing in Cranwell’s driveway when police arrived.

 

[Eli9]

Man said he rescued woman from fire. But evidence shows he started blaze, killed her, cops say.

Officials initially thought William Ahle tried to rescue his 82-year-old neighbor but he was seen on surveillance video going in and out of her house multiple times.

www.yahoo.com

Surveillance cameras belonging to someone who lives across the street told a very different story, though.

The footage showed a man authorities say is Ahle enter Cranwell’s house three different times. In one instance he stayed inside for about 90 minutes, the court document said.

The first time he entered, he was carrying an unknown object, the affidavit said. When he stayed inside for 90 minutes, he was carrying a handheld light.

He was standing in Cranwell’s driveway when police arrived.

I wonder if he previously house sat, took in the mail, looked after pets etc

If so he may have been trusted with a key, garage door entry code.

And known she didn't have security camera's.

MOO

 

[tlcya]

Cranwell’s daughter told authorities that while Ahle was not a friend, he did handyman type work for her a couple of times a year. Cranwell’s daughter also said her mother typically didn’t lock her house and that he was not allowed to enter without permission.

Ahle’s DNA was found on the nozzle of the gas can, prosecutors allege.
Man said he rescued woman from fire. But evidence shows he started blaze, killed her, cops say.

bring on the - his is cooked. The DNA plus video is very damning evidence IMO

 

[MissPie]

Man said he rescued woman from fire. But evidence shows he started blaze, killed her, cops say.

Officials initially thought William Ahle tried to rescue his 82-year-old neighbor but he was seen on surveillance video going in and out of her house multiple times.

www.nj.com

He was seen on surveillance cameras entering the garage multiple times
He left a gas can nozzle with his DNA on it in her living room

Not exactly a genius criminal. Like so many of these characters.

 

[tlcya]

makes one wonder, what else has this man done and gotten away with in the years prior?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I don't think him getting burned was part of the plan.

 

[Serononin]

Or maybe he had insomnia and prior to bed he would walk the dog.

I've known a couple of people whose dogs were very reactive to other dogs, so they would go out for walks late at night when there was much less chance of coming across another dog

 

[alexwood]

Man said he rescued woman from fire. But evidence shows he started blaze, killed her, cops say.

Officials initially thought William Ahle tried to rescue his 82-year-old neighbor but he was seen on surveillance video going in and out of her house multiple times.

www.nj.com

He was seen on surveillance cameras entering the garage multiple times
He left a gas can nozzle with his DNA on it in her living room

Thanks, TootsieFootsie, for the article.

Some choice tidbits from the article:
"Ahle also told authorities he saw an unknown person walk from Cranwell’s driveway toward Kyte Place. Surveillance cameras belonging to someone who lives across the street told a very different story, though. Cranwell’s daughter also said her mother typically didn’t lock her house and that he was not allowed to enter without permission. In addition, investigators found evidence of an accelerant on the hallway floor outside the bedroom. Detectives also located a burnt black slipper in Ahle’s bedroom when they searched his house on Aug. 6, the court document said."

Also, as stated by @Eli9: "Ahle is a retired Union County jail sergeant, according to pension records."

 

[alexwood]

I wonder if he took insurance out on her ?

Maybe one of those "accidental" death policies? It used to be possible to take them out on behalf of someone else with yourself as the beneficiary -- but I do think it is illegal now. Not sure though.

 

[TDoc72]

Things that make me go hmmm...

And the police too!
~~~~
Definitely going to follow this one. I really want to know the motive.