CLEARFIELD – A husband and wife accused of arson and related offenses had a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Kevin and Delinda Moore of Grassflat stand accused of arson, criminal conspiracy to commit arson and related charges.
Cpl. Thomas Josephson of the Pennsylvania State Police testified that on Jan. 7 he was traveling past the Moore’s home on a tractor on his way to plow a relative’s driveway. He said that as he was passing their residence, around 7 p.m., he noticed a light in their driveway area. He said the light went out and that he thought he saw someone in the vehicle.
Josephson said he continued on his way. He testified that about 45 minutes later he was on his way back from plowing when he smelled and saw smoke. He said he tried to figure out where it was coming from but could not. Josephson, who also serves as a fire marshal for the state police, noted that the smoke smelled like a house fire.
He continued, stating when he approached the Moore home he thought he noticed a fire on the first floor. He also noticed that the vehicle that was parked their earlier was gone.
Josephson said he went to a neighbor’s house and had them call 911. Once he did that he returned to the residence. He approached the residence and checked to see if anyone was home. He said no one answered. He then checked and found that the residence was secured.
Josephson testified that he waited for emergency responders and began watching the fire as a fire marshal. He noted how the fire burned and left after emergency responders arrived. He later came back in his official capacity and began investigating the fire.
“I examined everything,” said Josephson.
He stated that he ruled out accidental fire patterns during his investigation.
“I suspected it was an act of arson,” said Josephson. “It was a simple process of elimination.”
Josephson said that a day after the fire he talked with Delinda Moore. He said he asked her for a timeline of the events of Jan. 7. He said she gave him a rundown of the day and that later she and her husband went to Wal-Mart. He testified that she said they left for Wal-Mart around 6:30 or 7 p.m. Josephson said he timed the 22 mile drive and that it took 18 minutes to get to Wal-Mart Supercenter from the Moore residence.
He further testified that he went to Wal-Mart and reviewed their surveillance footage. He said that according to the footage, the Moores arrived at Wal-Mart at 7:41 p.m.
Josephson said that Delinda Moore also told him that it could have been the light switch near the stair well that started the fire. Josephson testified earlier that in his opinion, burn patterns eliminated that possibility.
Josephson also testified as to an insurance claim that the Moore’s filed. He noted that this caused red flags due to the fact that Delinda Moore reportedly called the insurance company to see what they owed on the policy, then paid it the day of the fire. Josephson testified that the Moores filed an exaggerated claim with a list of property due from the fire that totaled over $273,000. According to the affidavit of probable cause, the list included $4,000 worth of marbles, $3,000 worth of buttons and various other items.
The fire marshal said that the Moores submitted to an examination under oath. According to the affidavit of probable cause investigators went to the scene and many of the items listed on the initial list could not be located. After that the Moore’s revised their list, this one totaling $53,900.
Josephson also said that he questioned neighbors who told him that days and weeks prior to the fire the Moores moved items, such as vehicles and furniture to a property across the street from the scene of the fire.
Tpr. William Mostyn testified that he talked about the incident with Kevin Moore. He said that Kevin Moore told him that the cause of the fire could have been a flue fire. He also testified that Moore told him he saw a tractor pass by their residence.
During his testimony Josephson said the fire was also investigated by agents of the Centre County Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Josephson said that one investigator took two samples of burn debris, one of which reportedly came back positive for medium petroleum distillates. These include mineral spirits, some paint thinners, some charcoal starters, dry cleaning solvents, some solvents for pesticides and polishes, some torch fuels and some wood stains and treatments. An electrical engineer also examined the scene and eliminated any possible electrical cause for the fire.
After hearing the case Magisterial District Judge Richard Ireland bound all charges to the Court of Common Pleas. Bail for both Moore’s was set at $25,000 unsecured.