Loudoun County Man Found Guilty Of Murder, Arson In Fatal Sterling Fire

ASHBURN, VA – A Loudoun County man was convicted of all charges, including murder and arson, over a Sterling fire that killed a 36-year-old woman.

Jacob Bogatin, who was 78 at the time of the crime, was found guilty of murder and arson in the October 2025 death of Madelaine Akers after a trial, Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Bob Anderson announced on Wednesday evening. He was found guilty on all charges: one count of first-degree murder, three counts of arson of an occupied structure and one count of arson of personal property.

During the trial, neighbors testified that they could hear a woman screaming for help, but that the fire was so intense they couldn’t reach her, according to a report by NBC 4.

Prosecutors successfully argued that Bogatin had set fire to his townhouse on Riptide Square in hopes of collecting a $1 million insurance payout. The fire then spread to two other homes, causing massive damage and trapping Akers.

Anderson congratulated prosecutors, county fire authorities and jurors on navigating a complicated case involving dozens of witnesses and hinging on a volume of circumstantial evidence.

Bogatin will be sentenced on Dec. 4.