Authorities say a woman in Missouri admitted to setting a fire in a family home so that her sister wouldn’t make money from the sale of the house. They say she called 911 an hour before the fire to ask how to get a burn permit for the house.
Cheryl Gibson is being held in the Greene County Jail on a charge of setting a fire in the second degree. The Springfield Fire Department’s “probable cause statement” gives more information about the probe.
Gibson was “involved in a family dispute” with an unnamed sibling on Monday over “their late father’s residence” at a Springfield address that was not made public. The court papers say that both of them “have a financial interest in the property.”
Gibson allegedly told this sibling in a message before the fire that she was going to “burn the place down.” Additionally, earlier that day, she was said to have been calling this sibling’s husband and “requesting help” when the sibling cut her off, “which upset Gibson.”
An hour before the fire started, at around 6 p.m., Gibson “called 911 to ask how to get a burn permit for the house,” the statement says.
The paper says that Gibson set the house on fire on purpose about an hour later. It’s said she ‘poured petrol throughout the house and ignited it using a book of matches, driven by her desire to prevent [her sibling] from obtaining any financial gain from the sale of the property’.
“The suspect, who allegedly called 911 to report the fire, did not seem to have any doubts about the crime,” the affidavit said.
“During this recorded call, Gibson admitted that she had poured petrol throughout the house and ignited it with matches,” it says. It looks like she stayed on the property when the police came and was arrested.
Gibson is said to have talked to the police again after being read her Miranda rights.
“She admitted to starting the fire and explained her motive for doing so was to prevent [the sibling] from obtaining financial benefit from the property sale,” the probable cause statement states. “Gibson acknowledged that the house is insured but stated she did not plan to file a claim.”
The fire chief looked into the fire and found that it started in a way that was “consistent” with what Gibson said she did. A used matchbook was found in the house. The paper said it was “identical” to an unused matchbook she had with her when she was arrested.
Near the back door, inside the house, they also found “a nearly empty plastic petrol can.” The house also had a “unknown clear liquid with the smell of petrol” that was taken away and sent to be analysed.
The statement also said that Gibson said that when she started the fire, “the front door slammed shut,” which she thought stopped the fire from spreading and doing more damage, even though “fire and smoke damage throughout most of the rooms.”
Court documents say Gibson has lived in a separate house on the same property as the house. She “maintains continued access to both the target property” and her sibling, who is her “only apparent community tie.”
The statement says Gibson shouldn’t be let out on bond after being arrested.
“Most concerning, Gibson expressed disappointment that the front door closing limited the fire’s damage and demonstrated understanding of how this affected her results,” the document says. It adds officials’ worries that Gibson “will attempt to burn the house again using improved methods to cause greater damage.”
Gibson was put in jail with a $5,000 bond. The next time she has to go to court is August 6th.
