PITTSBURGH (100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA) A man accused of setting a fire that killed three people in Homewood faces a possible death sentence as his trial gets underway.
The jury selection for the Martell Smith trial begins Monday and he's charged with 13 counts, three of them for criminal homicide.
Prosecutors say Smith set the fatal fire in December of 2017 after getting into a fight with Rico Carter in a Penn Hills bar.
Smith was seen on video at a Point Breeze gas station filling a gas can.
A short time later investigators say Smith arrived at Carter's residence on the 7600 block of Bennett Street, poured gasoline on the house and ignited it.
Carter's mother, girlfriend, and her 4-year-old daughter were killed in the blaze.
Police say Smith admitted to setting the fire as he watched the home burn and smelled of gasoline when they interviewed him.
Testimony is expected to begin next month.
