JEFFERSON COUNTY — A 26-year-old Chicago man has formally been charged in Jefferson County Court with first-degree murder in connection with the 2015 death of a woman found in the burned out remains of her home.

A Jefferson County grand jury indicted Steven Murphy Thursday, charging him with two counts first-degree murder for the June 28, 2015 death of 47-year-old Tamara Malin in Mt. Vernon.

Murphy was already in custody in the Jefferson County Jail, awaiting trial on charges of Class X aggravated arson and Class 1 residential arson, also in connection with the June 28, incident at the Malin residence.

According to investigators, the Mt. Vernon Fire Department was called to the 300 block Harrison Street around 11:30 a.m. on June 28 in response to a house fire. Malins body was found inside the home, and she was declared dead at the scene.

On July 1, Murphy was arrested for allegedly lying to officers about the investigation. Those charges were later dismissed and he was instead charged with the arson charges.

Murphy has remained in jail since that that time. On Thursday, Judge Jerry Crisel set bail for Murphy on the murder charges at $1 million. Murphy was advised of the new charges and his legal rights, and an arraignment on the new charges is scheduled for May 24th, 2016 at 2:30 p.m.