During a news conference, Corinne Geller with Virginia State Police said 40-year-old Tonya Bundick and 38-year-old Charles Smith III (also known as Charles Applegate) were each charged with one count of arson and one count of conspiracy to commit arson.
Geller said additional charges will be coming very soon and the two are in jail without bond.
Family friends tell WAVY.com Bundick and Smith were to get married in May. Friends also confirm Bundick is a mother of two.
More
Editors Note: We want to know your comments about this.
22 comments:
My thoughts are "why." Why did they go on this arson spree. I'd like to know why Charles Smith also used the name Applegate.
Maybe it could be some kind of undercover informant name and the J Floyd and Narc that was spray painted all around the county and on many of the burned structures were all related. He does own a store that sells auto paints.
I think they are responsible for the graffiti and it wasn't getting the attention they craved so they upped their attention seeking to arson. It is ironic that he owns a paint store.
They said he was once a member of the fire department. Maybe they kicked him out and this was their way of getting back at the fire department.
On Facebook she goes by the name of Teechar Toobannounced.
On there it says she owns a store called a little taste of toot. It sells women's apparel. toot is slang for an illegal drug that you snort. It mentions that Charlies paint shop is in the same building as her shop.
In one article I read this morning it said he was observed being dropped off by her at the last house that was set on fire. So it looks like she was dropping him off, he set the fires and she picked him up somewhere nearby. A neighbor whose shed was set on fire by them months ago said thinking back she did hear their vehicle coming in and out at all hours of the night.
There is No way it was just theses two.
Why do you think that 10:14?
Applegate is the name of Charles' stepfather. There are 3 half siblings. The mom died last year. The Applegate's are lovely and this has to be heartbreaking for them. Keep them in your prayers.
I told you it had to be a firefighter. Is this the same guy they first arrested or questioned and let go?
10:29 Because they both where always hi as a kite someone else must be in on it too?
"According to the warrant, the passenger identified as Smith, then made a "statement related to the involvement of [Bundick] in additional fires in Accomack County."
I think she was the mastermind. Looking at her facebook she seems the controlling manipulative type and he appears obsessed with her.
I think it was her that had some kind of beef going on and was looking to get even or was seeking attention and/or a thrill and he being somewhat of a halfwit let his little head control his big head so to speak.
I think she was the mastermind and instigator also. The Tasley VFC website with his name listed as a member, hasn't been updated since 2006 and news outlets are reporting that he hasn't been involved with the department in years. Maybe it's been building up in him and it took the combination of these 2 together to act.
I say have them announce in advance where the next fire will be then let them go. Their only crime is improving property values by doing what the Accomack County officials failed to do, they destroyed abandoned eyesores!
11:31 I find those so called "abandoned eyesores" charming. I don't believe they lower property values at all because if they did Middleburg VA, which has it's fair share of "abandoned eyesores" wouldn't be selling farms for 22 million (YES 22 million), 10 million, 7 million dollars and so on.
The residents there are of a different mindset. The manicured neat look most are fond of around here is frowned upon there and abandoned ramshacked old homes that dot the countryside are cherished.
If someone moves in and even suggests changing the landscape of Middleburg they are immediately frowned upon and dismissed as a "city slicker" who doesn't know a thing about rural character.
Rural character 12:25? More like slums with land.
I can't do the math and only come up with 2 people.That which is possible and that which is probable are not the same.I think there were at least 3 involved.The 2 in custody don't seem to want to drag the third into it,which would suggest a biological connection perhaps.
Maybe 3:03 but I'm hearing they were sort of estranged from both their families because of their "oddness." Bundick's only family left besides some cousins is a sister in DE whom she doesn't appear to have a relationship with. I heard that today is her son's 11th birthday. How sad.
Her Facebook (oddly it's getting updated with new friends regularly since yesterday and today)though she has lots of friends it's not very interactive besides Charlie who praises and compliments her often.
He doesn't have his own Facebook but uses hers. She probably wouldn't let him have one. She seems like the domineering type of personality.
I have 2 comments
1) 77 fires is a bit much if you are just "making a statement."
Try fraud, or payment for burning buildings for purpose of fire insurance collection.
There is a much bigger story here than the fires.
2) What an embarrassment to the investigators. What took so long to catch them? Really glad this wasn't a homicide investigation, gesh.
6:11, it's impossible to get fire insurance on those types of buildings they were burning unless fraud was involved in obtaining the policies. No company will insure a dilapidated unlivable, unusable structure.
Now that being said there are too many different owners involved for this to be a case of insurance fraud.
I wonder where her kids were while she was out doing this?
one is a 13 year old so it doesn't matter a whole lot as far as them being left alone, but terrible example for her kids.
It's nearly impossible to get fire insurance on a vacant very much move in condition home much less the falling down properties these people were setting on fire.
Happened to us a few months ago. The only reason the company even said they would make an exeception and insure this house for us was because we had mulitiple other properties insured with them. Their usual policy is to not insure vacant properties.
Post a Comment