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Bride-to-Be Accused of Arson Before Wedding
29 Jul
Summary
- A Utah woman allegedly set fire to a church just hours before her wedding.
- The incident caused approximately $108,000 in damages to the church.
- She allegedly stole lighters from a hardware store earlier that day.
A 25-year-old Utah woman, Lenita Joy Moreno, faces serious charges after allegedly setting fire to a Latter-day Saints church building on July 10, mere hours before her own wedding. The incident resulted in an estimated $108,000 in damages to the property.
Moreno is currently held without bail at the Davis County Jail, where she has been charged with first-degree aggravated arson. Court filings reveal she initially provided authorities with a false name, identifying herself as Tessa Moran. She also reportedly failed to obtain a marriage license for her wedding the following day.
Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set in the Relief Society room. Some individuals present for wedding preparations managed to partially extinguish the blaze before the fire department arrived. Evidence suggests the fire was started using unusual materials beneath a chair. The groom told police the couple had visited an Ace Hardware earlier, where security footage reportedly showed Moreno shoplifting lighters.
