Accused arsonist pleads not guilty
Evans charged with second-degree murder in death
Trending
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- The woman accused of igniting a house fire that caused the death of a 75-year-old city resident in February 2022 will challenge second-degree murder, arson and related charges filed in Blair County court.
Heather Jean Evans, 43, Altoona, entered not guilty pleas Thursday during a formal arraignment hearing before Judge Jackie Bernard.
Evans, who remains incarcerated in the county prison without bail, was calm and polite during the hearing where she reviewed the charges and maximum penalties as severe as life in prison without parole.
Assistant Public Defender John Siford, whose office is representing Evans, has filed a petition to have Evans evaluated for competency to stand trial. A date for the evaluation has not been scheduled, he said.
When interviewed by police, Evans referred to herself as a "white witch." She also said she was a meth addict and claimed its usage makes her believe she is the Egyptian goddess Isis.
Bernard told Evans that Siford's filing of a petition for her competency evaluation preserves the right for her to consider a mental health or insanity defense to the criminal charges.
First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith said her office is also preserving its right to identify an additional expert to evaluate Evans' competency to stand trial, depending on the results of the first evaluation.
As part of Thursday's formal arraignment, Siford reviewed a document with Evans, showing maximum penalties for each of the 30 charges Altoona police filed against her.
If convicted of second-degree murder -- killing someone while in the process of a felony -- or aggravated arson/causing death, Evans faces life in prison without parole.
On the charge of aggravated arson/endangering a person, the penalty is up to 20 years' incarceration. But that penalty could be increased to 40 years, Smith said, if the offense resulted in bodily injury to a firefighter, police officer or a civilian.
In charges filed against Evans, police reported that several Altoona firefighters reported injuries while responding to the Feb. 15, 2022, fire at 118 E. Fifth Ave., where 75-year-old Mark Stewart was trapped and died in an upstairs bedroom. Evans' son, Seth Matthews, said he fled the burning structure via a window that opened to the porch roof.
Charges indicate that Evans had been at the house and started a fire on the landing between the first and second floors, then left the structure.
In an attempt to wait for results of the anticipated competency evaluation, Bernard scheduled the next review of Evans' case for July 17.
Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.