Woman Charged In Fatal Inkster Fire
POSTED: Monday, November 17, 2008
UPDATED: 12:36 pm EST November 19,
2008
INKSTER, Mich. -- Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged a 63-year-old woman in connection with starting a fire that killed one and injured another in Inkster Monday.
Zilpah Ann Warmack was charged Wednesday in Detroit’s 22nd District Court with felony murder, assault with intent to murder and arson of a dwelling house.
Local 4 cameras captured the woman being escorted out of her house Monday after the fire by police for questioning after a search warrant for her house had been obtained.
Warmack’s house is two addresses down from the house that caught fire.
The fire started at about 6 a.m. in Inkster, near Rosewood and Middlebelt roads.
The woman who died in the fire, Denise Robinson, lived across the street from the house that burned and was visiting her 71-year-old boyfriend, Larry Lee, at the time of the fire.
Lee was able to escape the fire and was taken to an area hospital where he is expected to be OK.
Police said an arson dog at the scene led investigators from the porch of the burned house to Warmack’s house. Investigators took clothing, fabric and a red gas can from the property.
Robinson had a personal protection order against the suspect and authorities believe the fire may have been over jealousy of a past relationship, Local 4 learned.
Inkster police detective Anthony Delgreco said Warmack is Lee’s ex-girlfriend.
"I'm just in total shock," said Robinson's sister, Cheryl Poindexter. "She was just a beautiful person, all around. Cheerful. Vibrant. She was just well-loved."
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