Aurora Townhome Arson Suspect Charged; ‘I Lit It Up’

AURORA, Minn. – A woman faces multiple charges after officers allege she “calmly” admitted to igniting the blaze that spread through her townhome.

Authorities say they’ve charged 35-year-old Stephanie Dawn Beddo with 1st-degree arson for allegedly setting fire to her townhome in the Iron Gate Apartment complex.

Police say they responded to the complex around 3:45 pm Friday for reports of a fire. The police report states that when officers arrived, Beddo threw a lighter at an officer’s feet and said, “I lit it up.”

From speaking with Beddo, officers suspected she may have been under the influence. She was put in handcuffs and then taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
The police report alleges that while at the hospital, Beddo kicked a nurse in the back.

Beddo was medically cleared by the hospital before then being taken into custody and transported to the jail. The report states that during the intake process, officers found a bag of powder, which later tested positive for fentanyl, on the ground. Surveillance footage from the jail allegedly shows that the bag was dropped by Beddo.

Fire crews were able to control the blaze and prevent it from spreading to the other connected units. In the home, officers found a copy of the restraining order, which had been served to Beddo at 12:49 pm, just hours before she is alleged to have set the blaze.

Surveillance footage from the complex allegedly shows Beddo “calmly walking out of her townhouse at 3:45 pm and then standing and watching the townhouse burn.”

Beddo faces charges for 1st-degree arson, 5th-degree drug possession, and 5th-degree assault. If found guilty she could face upwards of 20 years in prison.