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The fire happened on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018 at about 10:10 p.m. in Centre Island at a single-family residence at 300 Centre Island Drive.
The body of a man, later identified as James M. Coppola, 75, of Centre Island and Howard Beach, was found within the residence, Nassau County Police said. At the time, the fire was labeled suspicious because of the intensity of the flames.
An autopsy revealed Coppolla was dead before the fire started.
On Friday, Sept. 20, Jennifer Gross, of Lindell Boulevard in Long Beach, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and second-degree arson.
Gross was Coppola's mistress for more than 20 years and at the time of the fire, he had an active order of protection against her, police said.
The night of the fire, Gross went to the house asking for money, according to police. After Coppola refused, Gross allegedly beat him with an object believed to be a pan or pot, then set the fire, police said.
She was scheduled to be arraigned on Saturday, Sept. 21 at First District Court in Hempstead.
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