Santa Monica woman charged in deadly blaze

26-year-old who had ‘mental instability’ set fire to home, killing an elderly woman she lived with, police say.

A Santa Monica woman accused of setting fire to a home this week, leading to the death of the 93-yearold woman she lived with, has been charged with murder and arson, authorities said.

Investigators say Victoria Renae Darlington, 26, intentionally set fire to a garage attached to a single-family home in the 2600 block of 31st Street in Santa Monica around 9:40 p.m. Monday, according to a statement by the Santa Monica Police Department.

As Santa Monica firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, the elderly woman was found unconscious inside the home, police said. She was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later.

Darlington was arrested by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department the next day near Joshua Tree, Santa Monica Police Lt. Saul Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez confirmed that Darlington lived at the home with the woman, but he declined to elaborate on their relationship.

Prosecutors filed murder and arson charges in the case Thursday, Rodriguez said.

Darlington has a history of “mental instability,” according to Rodriguez, who said city police officers have detained her on mental health holds in the past.

Investigators do not believe Darlington and the victim were involved in a dispute before the incident, and Rodriguez declined to comment on how the fire was set.

Darlington is being held in lieu of $2-million bail. She was set to appear in court Thursday, but it was unclear if she entered a plea.

Ed Winter, spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, said the victim’s identity is being withheld until relatives can be notified. Winter declined to comment on her cause of death before an autopsy was completed.

Rodriguez said police think the woman probably died of smoke inhalation.