A 25-year-old bride-to-be was arrested in Utah after police say she started a fire inside an LDS church the day before her wedding was supposed to take place.
Lenita Joy Moreno was taken into custody in Kaysville on Monday for the alleged July 10 incident, and faces charges of aggravated arson, retail theft, and providing false information to a peace officer. She is being held without bail.
The cost of the damages is estimated at $108,000.
According to court documents, on July 10 at 10:07 p.m., Kaysville police were called to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 198 West Center Street.
When officers arrived, they met with family members who were inside the church at the time the fire happened. They stated they were setting up for a wedding that was scheduled for the following day between Tessa Moran and the groom.
Investigators noted in documents that the suspect, Moreno, identified herself as Tessa Moran but that it isn't her legal name.
Family stated that they were getting ready to leave when the fire alarm activated. The group investigated and found the fire in a room identified as the "Relief Society" room. One person grabbed water, and another grabbed a fire extinguisher, and together they extinguished the flames.
The groom told detectives that he and Moreno were in the room where the fire started just prior to the flames being spotted.
He also told investigators that he and Moreno had gone to an Ace Hardware store earlier in the day. When police contacted the store, employees stated there was video footage of Moreno stealing two cigarette lighters.
Police reviewed the footage and said that they could see Moreno walk towards the lighters and grab an unknown number before hiding them on her.
Following a review of the footage, police spoke with Moreno, who admitted to stealing from the Ace Hardware, but she wouldn't disclose what was taken.
This story was originally published by Michael Martin with the Scripps News Group in Salt Lake City.
