Legal News

Attorney accused of setting fire at Martinsburg law firm

By (Breaking Legal News)

An attorney is charged with setting a fire at the Martinsburg law firm where she worked in September 2007 and then attempting to set another fire there in April 2008, according to Berkeley County Magistrate Court records.

Ashley R. Shreve, 28, of 2316 Longboat Court in Richmond, Va., was arrested Wednesday in Richmond by Henrico County (Va.) police, Berkeley County Sheriff?s Lt. B.F. Hall said Thursday.

Shreve is charged with one count each of second-degree arson, attempted arson and terrorist threats, according to warrants issued April 29 by Magistrate Sandra L. Miller, court records show.

Hall said Shreve waived extradition and is expected to be returned to Berkeley County to face the charges in the next few days.

The fire Sept. 20, 2007, at McNeer, Highland, McMunn & Varner L.C., at 275 Aikens Center, caused ?thousands of dollars? in damage, possibly between $5,000 and $10,000, Hall said.

Shreve was a resident of Spring Mills in Berkeley County when she worked at the law firm, Hall said.

She no longer works there and moved to the Richmond area after the April 2008 attempted arson, according to police.

The fire was reported at 5:45 a.m. Shreve and another employee were the last two staff members to leave the office the evening before the fire, according to court records.

A box of legal documents in a legal assistant?s office were intentionally set on fire and a box of files that were found under Shreve?s desk also had fire damage, according to court records.

Full post as published by Breaking Legal News on May 07, 2010 (boomark / email).