Prosecutors say woman in arson trial burned down her own home for insurance money
NORWICH – An arson trial began its open statements on Tuesday, and attorneys painted two wildly different pictures of how a 5,000 square foot home in Greene was set on fire.
According to Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride, Anna Santiago, 51, of Greene, committed third-degree arson on August 3, 2017 at her home on Chipmunk Lane.
McBride said after removing her animals from her home along with her gun collection, she opened several windows and her front door, and then set three to five different fires in her home in various locations including the basement, a bedroom closet, and on a bookcase.
He said after setting the fires Santiago’s vehicle was seen leaving the area by her volunteer firefighter neighbors who had received a notice that Santiago’s fire alarm was going off.
McBride said Santiago started the fire to claim approximately $700,000 in insurance money, after Santiago struggled with finances in part due to the unexpected loss of her husband approximately a year prior. He added that her insurance claim was denied because the insurance provider believed the fire to be a self-started arson.
“The house was intentionally set on fire, and the defendant was caught leaving the scene,” McBride said.
The defense claimed the true culprits of the arson may have been disgruntled neighbors who wanted land. According to Santiago’s Defense Attorney Debra Gelson, Santiago was a victim of arson and burglary on the night of the fire, and she inferred that her neighbors, the Days, had motive to burn down the home so they could purchase land from Santiago, as they had been trying to do for years prior to the incident.
She said after receiving two acres from Santiago as a gift for being good neighbors, the Days wanted more land so they could build homes for their children on it. Although, the Days each testified that they weren’t interested in purchasing more land after being gifted the two acres.
“The Days wanted to buy seven or eight acres, and even though they brought it up numerous times, Anna declined,” said Gelson.
Gelson said fire investigators and police focused on Santiago because the Days kept mentioning how suspicious different aspects of the fire seemed to be.
“That is not their job, that is not their role, that is, by itself, highly suspicious,” she said.
Gelson added that Santiago had removed the animals from her home prior to the fire because there was going to be major work done on the outside of the house due to several rotting windows, and she didn’t want them to escape or let other animals in while they were being repaired.
She said Santiago had already purchased lumber for
repairs and contacted an Amish group to get the work done.
In his opening statement, McBride said Santiago removed many of the animals from inside of her home, as well as other valuables such as her gun collection, and then opened several windows along with her front door before setting fires in her basement near a bookcase, in a closet, and in her bedroom.
He said Santiago’s vehicle was then seen and heard leaving the family’s shared driveway by her neighbors, the Days.
McBride said one of the family members, Michelle Day, is an active member of the Greene Fire Department, and after receiving a text-alert message informing her of a fire alert going off in her neighbors home, she, her mother and her father, who were no longer active firefighters, went next door to check on Santiago’s wellbeing.
Michelle Day said upon arriving to Santiago’s home, the family saw there was an active fire, reported the fire to fire control, and called Santiago who said she would be right there.
“It took Anna 15 to 20 minutes to return to her home, but it should have taken around two minutes,” she said.
Greene Fire Department First-Assistant Chief Jeremy Tennet, and each member of the Day family, George, Michelle, and Lou-Ann Day, testified in court as to what they saw.
Each witness described Santiago’s demeanor as flat, unexcited, and unemotional as she arrived on the scene, and they all said the front door and windows being open were a cause for concern––however Chenango County Court Judge Frank Revoir, Jr., ruled that they were not allowed to testify on why they felt that way after objections from Gelson.
Several witnesses also testified to hearing Santiago say, “I didn’t get the cats out,” after arriving on the scene of the fire.
The case will continue in court Wednesday.
Prosecutors said fire investigators would be taking the session to testify more on the the cause and origin of the fire.
Revoir said the trial should be over by Friday and if necessary the court may go up to an hour and a half over each day if required.
Read more in Thursday’s Evening Sun.
According to Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride, Anna Santiago, 51, of Greene, committed third-degree arson on August 3, 2017 at her home on Chipmunk Lane.
McBride said after removing her animals from her home along with her gun collection, she opened several windows and her front door, and then set three to five different fires in her home in various locations including the basement, a bedroom closet, and on a bookcase.
He said after setting the fires Santiago’s vehicle was seen leaving the area by her volunteer firefighter neighbors who had received a notice that Santiago’s fire alarm was going off.
McBride said Santiago started the fire to claim approximately $700,000 in insurance money, after Santiago struggled with finances in part due to the unexpected loss of her husband approximately a year prior. He added that her insurance claim was denied because the insurance provider believed the fire to be a self-started arson.
“The house was intentionally set on fire, and the defendant was caught leaving the scene,” McBride said.
The defense claimed the true culprits of the arson may have been disgruntled neighbors who wanted land. According to Santiago’s Defense Attorney Debra Gelson, Santiago was a victim of arson and burglary on the night of the fire, and she inferred that her neighbors, the Days, had motive to burn down the home so they could purchase land from Santiago, as they had been trying to do for years prior to the incident.
She said after receiving two acres from Santiago as a gift for being good neighbors, the Days wanted more land so they could build homes for their children on it. Although, the Days each testified that they weren’t interested in purchasing more land after being gifted the two acres.
“The Days wanted to buy seven or eight acres, and even though they brought it up numerous times, Anna declined,” said Gelson.
Gelson said fire investigators and police focused on Santiago because the Days kept mentioning how suspicious different aspects of the fire seemed to be.
“That is not their job, that is not their role, that is, by itself, highly suspicious,” she said.
Gelson added that Santiago had removed the animals from her home prior to the fire because there was going to be major work done on the outside of the house due to several rotting windows, and she didn’t want them to escape or let other animals in while they were being repaired.
She said Santiago had already purchased lumber for
repairs and contacted an Amish group to get the work done.
In his opening statement, McBride said Santiago removed many of the animals from inside of her home, as well as other valuables such as her gun collection, and then opened several windows along with her front door before setting fires in her basement near a bookcase, in a closet, and in her bedroom.
He said Santiago’s vehicle was then seen and heard leaving the family’s shared driveway by her neighbors, the Days.
McBride said one of the family members, Michelle Day, is an active member of the Greene Fire Department, and after receiving a text-alert message informing her of a fire alert going off in her neighbors home, she, her mother and her father, who were no longer active firefighters, went next door to check on Santiago’s wellbeing.
Michelle Day said upon arriving to Santiago’s home, the family saw there was an active fire, reported the fire to fire control, and called Santiago who said she would be right there.
“It took Anna 15 to 20 minutes to return to her home, but it should have taken around two minutes,” she said.
Greene Fire Department First-Assistant Chief Jeremy Tennet, and each member of the Day family, George, Michelle, and Lou-Ann Day, testified in court as to what they saw.
Each witness described Santiago’s demeanor as flat, unexcited, and unemotional as she arrived on the scene, and they all said the front door and windows being open were a cause for concern––however Chenango County Court Judge Frank Revoir, Jr., ruled that they were not allowed to testify on why they felt that way after objections from Gelson.
Several witnesses also testified to hearing Santiago say, “I didn’t get the cats out,” after arriving on the scene of the fire.
The case will continue in court Wednesday.
Prosecutors said fire investigators would be taking the session to testify more on the the cause and origin of the fire.
Revoir said the trial should be over by Friday and if necessary the court may go up to an hour and a half over each day if required.
Read more in Thursday’s Evening Sun.
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