Two Virginia Fires near Homes, set by same Woman – Police

By: Alex Evans

VIRGINIA, Minn. – Two fires last Friday in Virginia were deliberately set by a woman, police say. 

Fires at two separate properties in Virginia early last Friday are suspected to be the result of arson, according to a criminal complaint. Ladonna Jean Chavez, 50, reportedly admitted to Virginia Police that she deliberately set both fires. 

According to the complaint, police were called to the 1200 block of 2nd Ave. S, at around 6:44 a.m. for reports of “black smoke in the area” and “something burning in a yard.” When officers arrived, they found “an out-of-control fire in a back yard,” spreading towards nearby structures. An open container labeled “hydraulic oil” was found nearby that “ appeared to have been freshly poured out, as the liquid was on the sidewalk and sides of the container.”

An officer who was on his way to the 2nd Ave S scene reported observing smoke rise from behind a second residence at 128 7th Street. When the officer arrived, he observed “active flames to the north side of the garage” with what appeared to be a “pink and white striped cloth bag” and a wooden bench burning on the ground. Using a fire extinguisher from his squad, the officer was able to put out the flames.

As with the first fire, a flammable fluid container was found nearby, in the driveway next to the garage. The responding officer reportedly located “an empty, yellow, plastic container labeled Prestone Power Steering Fluid 12oz.” 

According to the complaint, officers reviewed surveillance footage that allegedly showed Chavez at the 7th Street address shortly before the fire started. Chavez is reportedly seen “wearing a dark gray hoodie, light gray sweatpants, and walking with a green mountain bike loaded with items,” which included a pink and white striped bag. Chavez walked out of frame towards the back of the residence, and when she reemerged, she no longer had the items or her bag. 

Officers reportedly found a partially burnt pink and white bag when they extinguished the fire.

Police detained Chavez when they spotted her riding her bike near the scene. In a post-Miranda statement, Chavez reportedly “admitted that she started the fire that partially burned the garage because she was upset with one of the individuals who resides at the property.” 

Chavez said that the person needed “his ass whooped” and that she chose to burn the garage instead of the house because it was “less trouble.”

According to the complaint, Chavez also admitted to starting the fire on 2nd Ave. S. Chavez told officers that she burned her “tent and her personal items” because “2 people were going into her tent and stealing.” She said that “she wanted the people to leave her sh**t alone and that she was upset because people were pissing and s**tting in her tent.”

Officers asked Chavez, “Why she would burn her own tent down to get back at someone?” to which she said, “It was better than killing them.”

Chavez is charged with two felony counts of second-degree arson, which could carry a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison. 

In 2024, Chavez pled guilty to fifth-degree arson for a Sep. 2024 incident outside of a Virginia Subway when she “poured gas on the road and lit it on fire.” According to the criminal complaint in that case, Chavez also poured gas around a truck parked across the street and lit it on fire.