A 25-year-old woman, Lenita Moreno, has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to a church in Kaysville, Utah, where she was scheduled to be married the following day. According to a probable cause affidavit, the incident occurred earlier this month while family members were preparing for the wedding. The fire alarm prompted relatives to extinguish the flames using a fire extinguisher and water from wedding decorations. Police reported that the cost of repairs to the church is over $108,000.
Investigators found that the fire appeared to have started beneath a chair in the church's Relief Society room. Items found at the scene included a tampon applicator. Moreno is also accused of stealing two cigarette lighters from a hardware store shortly before the fire. Her fiancé stated that they were in the Relief Society room just minutes before the alarm sounded. Although Moreno admitted to the theft, she did not disclose what she had taken.
Moreno, who is also known as Tessa Moran, is being held in the Davis County jail without bail, as a District Court judge determined she poses a substantial danger to the community and may flee if released. A public safety assessment report indicates she has no prior felony or misdemeanor convictions.