Wife charged with setting fire that claimed life of husband in Kingston
Jan. 4—KINGSTON — Police in Kingston and Luzerne County detectives arrested a woman who they allege intentionally set items on fire inside her apartment that claimed the life of her husband early Wednesday morning.
Lisa M. Starruick-Smalls, 63, admitted she set a pot mixed with cream of wheat and oil on the stove and toilet paper and a fur coat on fire while her husband, Wilbert Smalls, slept just after 12:30 a.m., according to court records.
Starruick-Smalls claimed she attempted to wake up her husband and left the apartment lighting up a cigarette outside, court records say.
Wilbert Smalls was found by firefighters on a bedroom floor and died as he was rushed to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.
Starruick-Smalls was arraigned by District Judge James Haggerty in Kingston on seven counts of arson endangering occupied buildings, three counts of arson resulting in danger of death and a single count of reckless burning. She was jailed at the county correctional facility without bail.
Kingston/Forty Fort Fire Chief Frank Guido said firefighters responded to 33 Holiday Dr. in the Garden Acres apartment complex at about 12:40 a.m. encountering heavy fire coming from the first floor unit.
About 10 residents from six units escaped, Guido said.
Guido said there were no injuries to residents and firefighters.
According to the criminal complaint:
A police officer was first on scene and encountered Starruick-Smalls outside the burning residence.
Starruick-Smalls said she was not able to get her husband out and last saw him in the bedroom.
Firefighters rushed inside finding Wilbert Smalls on the floor.
After Starruick-Smalls was placed inside an ambulance for her well being, police allege she made unsolicited statements including, "I'm going to hell, I did it. There's no such thing as insanity, I started the fire."
During an interview with Kingston police Det. John Anthony and county Det. James Noone, Starruick-Smalls said she was in her art room and decided to start a fire, the complaint says.
Starruick-Smalls told detectives, the complaint says, she put cream of wheat and oil in a pot and turned the stove burner on high in order to cause smoke. She further alleged she placed toilet paper in a garbage bag she lit and also ignited a fur coat she placed in a bag.
Before leaving the apartment, Starruick-Smalls claimed she attempted to wake up her husband and left the residence lighting a cigarette outside, the complaint says.
An investigation into the cause of the blaze by Kingston/Forty Fort Fire Department and state police deputy fire marshals determined the fire originated in the art room of the apartment.
Fire departments from Plains Township, Hanover township, Larksville, Luzerne and West Wyoming assisted at the scene.
