BEAVERTON, Ore. (AP) - Two northern Oregon women are facing several charges including murder after they were suspected of setting a woman on fire days before Christmas, officials said.
Maria Meisner, 55, and Celia Schwab, 63, were indicted last week by a Washington County grand jury in the death of 74-year-old Kathryn Breen, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported (https://bit.ly/2nf5pEE). Meisner is accused of aggravated murder and Schwab is accused of criminal mistreatment. Both women are also facing murder, arson and assault charges.
Police said Schwab was Breen’s unlicensed live-in caretaker and Meisner lived next door to Breen in Beaverton, a city west of Portland.
Schwab was arrested Dec. 23, the same day as the fire. Breen was treated for second- and third-degree burns, but died in the hospital Dec. 24.
Meisner was arrested several days after the fire
The two women have pleaded not guilty.
Detectives said Schwab had been living with Breen since 2012. Schwab told the detectives that Breen needed help taking care of herself after she kept falling and breaking bones.
In an affidavit, Schwab denies starting the fire and said demons, who she believes were in the house, caused the fire.
In Meisner’s account, she said Schwab told her that she “looked forward to the day Breen passes away because she would love a vacation and be free.”
Meisner also said that when Breen was on fire, Schwab told her she couldn’t help put out the fire because of her bad back. Meisner said that when she tried to call 911 using Schwab’s cell phone, Schwab would not give her the passcode to unlock her phone.
Meisner initially told investigators that she placed an extinguished match on Breen’s bed. In the affidavit, it is not clear if Meisner admitted to setting Breen on fire.
Court record show that Meisner, who lived across the street, has a 2012 arson conviction in Multnomah County for which she served a week in jail and five years in probation.
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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, https://www.oregonlive.com
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