Home arson suspect was upset about infidelity and drug use before the fire, investigators say
The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Deja Lauren Clayton, is charged with arson and endangerment in connection with a May 6 apartment fire that burned four homes and several cars. FOX 10’s Linda Williams reports.
PHOENIX – Court documents detail what happened leading up to a fire in one Phoenix Apartment complex that burned several cars and left some residents homeless.
The suspect in the case, identified as 38-year-old Deja Lauren Clayton, was arrested in an area north of 12th Street and Bethany Home Road, officials said.
In addition to cars, firefighters said, the May 6 fire also burned four homes.
The fire broke out in the early hours of the morning
Crews responded to reports of a building fire at an apartment complex near 12th Street and Maryland Avenue shortly before 2:30 a.m., according to earlier testimony from Phoenix Fire Department officials
When firefighters were on site, they encountered a large fire starting from the one-story complex. After ensuring all residents got out safely, firefighters began fighting the blaze.
“When crews entered, they found five to six burning cars at the rear of the complex,” the department said in a statement. “The command immediately balanced the assignment to a first alarm.”
Other firefighters were called to fight the fire.
According to the fire department, six people were displaced after a fire broke out at an apartment complex in Phoenix early Friday morning. (Phoenix Fire Department)
A witness video shows a woman catching fire
Cars burned, residents displaced in Phoenix apartment fire; no injuries reported
Anita Roman of FOX 10 reports.
A resident’s truck pulled up outside a carport before catching fire, and a dashcam in his truck appears to show someone starting the fire.
“My dash cam on my truck caught a person walking towards the storage unit – these are all storage units where the carport has collapsed. My camera caught someone walking in, immediately lighting something, leaving, closing the door, locking it and just walking away like nothing ever happened,” he said.
Another resident said she learned yesterday that she had lost her job and now she has also lost her car in the fire.
Court documents provide new details on the case
On May 9, Phoenix Police officers announced that Clayton had been arrested and jailed in connection with the arson Detection.
According to court documents related to the incident, Clayton was found by patrol officers across the street from the crime scene and eventually taken to police headquarters for questioning.
“The defendant was interviewed via audio/video and, under Miranda, admitted her involvement in the fire,” part of the documents said.
In the documents, investigators said Clayton was known to residents of the apartment complex because she would be using drugs and engaging in sexual activity in a storage unit where the fire broke out.
Before the fire, investigators said the suspect was upset with her boyfriend for allegedly having sexual relations with other women and using drugs in one of the apartment’s storage units.
“The defendant admitted to smoking methamphetamines around midnight. The accused said at about [2:10 a.m.] She followed [the apartment complex] on foot. While on site, she continued to open [the storage unit] which has been unlocked,” read part of the court documents.
Once the suspect was inside the storage unit, investigators claimed, he used a lighter to set a leaf on fire, went outside and closed the door.
“The defendant said she was glad no one was injured in the fire and felt very sorry for the apartment complex,” the court documents said.
Clayton is charged with the crime of arson and endangerment. A judge has ordered her to bail at $50,000 and she is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on May 16.
The fire brigade extinguishes the fire in the Phoenix residential complex
Anita Roman of FOX 10 reports.
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