A woman was arrested Thursday afternoon for arson and first-degree murder after two people were killed in a Phoenix business fire on Saturday, according to court records.
Katisha Susan Smith, 44, of Phoenix was arrested for her alleged involvement in a fire at J&J Sofa Manufacturing near 59th Avenue and Buckeye Road, court documents state. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office was initially called to the fire just past 10 p.m. Saturday and arson investigators later discovered that two unidentified people died in the building — one at the entryway and another inside the burned structure, according to records.
Surveillance footage revealed that just before the fire, a man and a woman, identified as Smith by detectives, arrived at the business in a vehicle. Court documents indicate that after the two suspects exited the vehicle, Smith handed an unknown object to the man, who then ignited it. Subsequently, the man threw the flaming object into the property before both suspects fled the area in their vehicle.