A 25-year-old bride-to-be in Utah has been arrested and charged with arson after allegedly setting fire to the church where she was scheduled to be married the following day. Lenita "Tessa" Joy Moreno was taken into custody on Monday.
According to court documents, Moreno, the groom-to-be, and other family members were at the church on July 10, setting up for the wedding, when a fire alarm activated. Water from wedding decorations and a fire extinguisher were used to put out the blaze, which investigators determined appeared to have been started under a chair with the assistance of a tampon. The probable cause affidavit states that Moreno is believed to have started the fire while five other individuals were still inside the building.
Investigators also found that Moreno had not obtained a marriage license for the upcoming ceremony, despite having told the groom that she had. During the investigation, the groom reported that they had visited a hardware store earlier that day. Security footage from the store allegedly showed Moreno stealing two or three lighters. The groom was reportedly not near her at the time of the alleged theft. Moreno also reportedly admitted to stealing from the store during an interview but declined to specify what she had taken.
The fire caused an estimated $108,000 in damages to the church building. Moreno faces multiple charges, including first-degree aggravated arson, misdemeanor retail theft, and providing false information to a peace officer.