A Missouri woman has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after admitting to starting a fire using a bag of Takis tortilla chips.
Patricia Faye Williams, 43, originally pleaded not guilty to first-degree arson charges for setting fire to a home in Greene County in 2023... Continue reading here ▶
However, during a court appearance, she changed her plea to guilty just days before her trial, which was scheduled for Monday, January 13.
According to court documents, the incident happened on August 11, 2023, when a woman called 911 to report that Williams had set fire to a home.
A nearby police officer investigating the smoke arrived to find three people outside the house, including one in a wheelchair. One of them identified Williams as the person who started the fire.
When police detained Williams, they noticed soot on her face, and she complained of smoke inhalation. She was taken to a hospital for treatment, where it was discovered that she had multiple outstanding arrest warrants. She was arrested shortly after.
Springfield Fire Marshal Travis Morrissey investigated the fire. Two witnesses told him they saw Williams pour gasoline from a soda bottle onto clothes and the floor in the laundry room. She then lit a bag of Takis chips on fire and threw it onto the gasoline-soaked clothes, starting the blaze.
Morrissey conducted a field test to confirm that Takis chips could catch fire, which they did because of their grease content. He also found the smell of gasoline in the laundry room, concluding that the fire was started intentionally with gasoline as an accelerant.
Fortunately, no one was injured, and all residents and visitors escaped safely.
At the hospital, Williams admitted to buying $2 worth of gasoline, which was confirmed by surveillance footage from the gas station. She also confessed to using the Takis chips because she believed their grease would help them burn.
Williams was held without bond at Greene County Jail and labeled a danger to others. On Tuesday, she pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in prison for her actions.
