Victim was asleep in residence at time fire was set

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

An Exeter woman had been charged with two felonies after allegedly setting a trailer home on fire while a person was sleeping inside.

Elizabeth Burkett, 44, of Exeter, is charged with first-degree arson and first-degree domestic assault.

According to a probable cause statement filed by Cpl. C. Bray, with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, the alleged offenses were committed at 10:31 p.m. on May 26 near Exeter.

Bray said Burkett allegedly procured a propane torch bottle and started a fire in the west side interior room of her residence, a single-wide trailer home.

Another occupant who also resided at the residence was asleep in a bedroom approximately 10 yards from where the fire was set and was unaware the inside of the residence had been set on fire until the west side of the trailer was fully engulfed and Burkett told her it was on fire.

The victim later claimed if she had not gotten out of the residence when she did, she would have been serious injured or killed due to Burkett’s alleged actions.

Burkett allegedly later admitted to the victim, two witnesses and Bray that she had knowingly set the fire to the residence with the intent to burn it down because she did not like living there.

Burkett also was allegedly aware the victim was asleep inside the home at the time she set the fire.

Bray said in the statement as a result of Burkett’s actions, she placed the victim in immediate risk of serious physical harm or death, and she had destroyed the residence beyond repair.

Bray also said in the statement Burkett showed no remorse for another person’s safety or property, as she was a renter and not an owner.

Burkett is being held in the Barry County jail on a cash-only bond of $100,000, A bond hearing is set for Thursday at 9 a.m. in the courtroom of Judge Robert Foulke.