mcs328
06-30-2005, 07:57 AM
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=583&e=3&u=/nm/20050630/od_nm/crime_fire_dc
Teacher accused of enlisting students in fire plot
37 minutes ago
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Two failing students face arson charges after accepting teacher Tramesha Lashon Fox's offer of a passing score in exchange for torching her car in a botched insurance scheme, authorities said on Wednesday.
"All three have confessed," senior fire investigator Dustin Deutsch of the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office said.
Fox, 32, was in the process of surrendering to authorities, Deutsch and Fox's attorney told Reuters. Roger Luna, 18, was arrested on Tuesday while Darwin Arias, 17, was not yet in custody, Deutsch said.
The two males each face one count of arson, punishable by two to 20 years in prison. Fox faces charges of arson and insurance fraud, also punishable by two to 20 years in prison.
Fox's 2003 Chevrolet Malibu was reported stolen on May 27 and was found burned with signs of forced theft 12 days later in a wooded area near Arias' home, investigators said.
Investigators became suspicious when they learned Fox had bought a new 2005 Toyota Corolla a week before the Malibu -- on which she owed $20,000 -- was reported stolen.
"During preliminary interviews with the teacher, she advised us it was the work of students and gave us a list of six or seven, which I thought was kind of suspicious," Deutsch said, noting Luna and Arias were not on the list.
A check of calls made from Fox's cell phone pointed toward one of the other suspects, Deutsch said. Fox confessed in a subsequent interview and fingered Luna and Arias, he said.
Fox's attorney told Reuters he did not have enough information to comment on the details of the case.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
How can you owe 20K on a Malibu after 2 years?? I'm not sure how much a malibu costs but that seems a lot to owe after two years.
Teacher accused of enlisting students in fire plot
37 minutes ago
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Two failing students face arson charges after accepting teacher Tramesha Lashon Fox's offer of a passing score in exchange for torching her car in a botched insurance scheme, authorities said on Wednesday.
"All three have confessed," senior fire investigator Dustin Deutsch of the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office said.
Fox, 32, was in the process of surrendering to authorities, Deutsch and Fox's attorney told Reuters. Roger Luna, 18, was arrested on Tuesday while Darwin Arias, 17, was not yet in custody, Deutsch said.
The two males each face one count of arson, punishable by two to 20 years in prison. Fox faces charges of arson and insurance fraud, also punishable by two to 20 years in prison.
Fox's 2003 Chevrolet Malibu was reported stolen on May 27 and was found burned with signs of forced theft 12 days later in a wooded area near Arias' home, investigators said.
Investigators became suspicious when they learned Fox had bought a new 2005 Toyota Corolla a week before the Malibu -- on which she owed $20,000 -- was reported stolen.
"During preliminary interviews with the teacher, she advised us it was the work of students and gave us a list of six or seven, which I thought was kind of suspicious," Deutsch said, noting Luna and Arias were not on the list.
A check of calls made from Fox's cell phone pointed toward one of the other suspects, Deutsch said. Fox confessed in a subsequent interview and fingered Luna and Arias, he said.
Fox's attorney told Reuters he did not have enough information to comment on the details of the case.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
How can you owe 20K on a Malibu after 2 years?? I'm not sure how much a malibu costs but that seems a lot to owe after two years.