Woman broke into ex’s home and set it on fire after breakup, SC prosecutor says
A South Carolina woman is going to prison after she broke into her ex-boyfriend’s home and set it on fire following a breakup, the 9th Circuit Solicitor’s Office said.
A Charleston County jury found Toya Danielle Steward guilty of second-degree arson and second-degree burglary charges following a five-day trial, the solicitor’s office said in a news release.
Steward was sentenced to prison terms of 15 years — suspended to 10 years — on the arson charge and 10 years — suspended to 7 years — followed by 5 years probation for the burglary charge, according to the release.
The convictions stem from a Feb. 8, 2020, incident. Steward showed up to the victim’s West Ashley home after he had severed their relationship because Steward was harassing his friends on social media, the solicitor’s office said.
The victim wasn’t home, and although his roommate was, he refused to answer the door, unsure of Steward’s intentions, according to the release. Steward continued to bang on the door, yelling profanities for nearly two hours and also sent the victim a barrage of texts and phone calls, the solicitor’s office said.
Later that day, the roommate saw Steward’s vehicle pull back into their driveway and she got out of a car “in a fit of rage,” the solicitor’s office said. She continued to send harassing, threatening messages to the victim telling him that she was going into his house to get her things back, according to the release.
The victim told her to leave multiple times and told her his son was in the house in an attempt to get her to depart, the solicitor’s office said.
The roommate hid in the bathroom when he heard Steward shatter the glass on the back door and break into the house, where she rummaged through items before stealing the victim’s belongings, according to the release.
At one point, Steward took a 5-gallon gas can from the backyard and poured gasoline throughout the house, then started the fire in three spots, the solicitor’s office said.
The roommate was still in the bathroom when he heard an explosion and opened the bathroom door to see the house in flames and engulfed in smoke, according to the release.
“He ran across the hallway and jumped out of his bedroom window, barely making it out alive,” the solicitor’s office said.
Steward left several clues making sure the victim knew she had been there, then continued to call and text the victim and leave him angry voicemails, according to the release. The prosecutor said those voicemails were played for the jury at trial.
Charleston County Sheriff’s Office deputies found Steward at her apartment where she admitted to going to the victim’s house earlier that day and returned to see the house on fire, the solicitor’s office said.
Her car was taken into evidence for processing and a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division expert testified that gasoline was found on her driver’s side floor mat, according to the release. Prosecutors said it was transferred by Steward when she stepped in the gasoline while she was setting the house on fire.
Cellphone records showed Steward was at the house just prior to the start of the fire and she called the victim 127 times and texted him 141 times that day, according to the release.
While convicted on the burglary and arson charges, Steward was found not guilty of an attempted murder charge, the solicitor’s office said. The maximum punishment for a second-degree arson conviction is 25 years in prison, while a second-degree burglary charge carries a max sentence of 15 years behind bars, according to South Carolina law.
Nina Savas and Catherine Fries prosecuted the case for the solicitor’s office, while Steward was represented by attorneys Nick D’Angelo and Cameron Blazer of the Charleston County Public Defender’s Office.
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This story was originally published March 11, 2024 at 12:13 PM with the headline "Woman broke into ex’s home and set it on fire after breakup, SC prosecutor says."
