A Utah man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly trying several times to set fire to his ex-wife’s home — with her children inside during one of the incidents.
According to reports from KSL, Fox 13, and Gephardt Daily, Delmar Barney faces two counts of attempted murder and three counts of aggravated arson.
The series of alleged arson attempts began on September 11, when a fire was discovered outside the home of Barney’s ex-wife, Katey Barney, in Richfield, Utah, police said.
Katey told Fox 13 that she wasn’t home at the time, but her children were.
“So I called my babysitter who was with my kids,” she said. “I said, ‘Can you just go look outside and see if anything’s on fire?’”
She told the outlet that the fire went out on its own, but afterward she decided to install security cameras around her home.
Days later, another fire broke out outside the residence. Katey recalled being jolted awake in the middle of the night.
“I got woken up to a big loud bang and heard some scuffling,” she told Fox 13. “I could smell gas and then smoke, saw the fire, and then called 911.”
Police said that on a third visit, the suspect appeared to spot one of the cameras and left without starting another blaze. However, he allegedly returned again.
On September 22, authorities say Delmar Barney came back a fourth time and threw a Molotov cocktail into Katey’s bedroom while her children were asleep, according to reports from KSL, ABC 4, and Fox 13.
“It’s a miracle she’s okay,” said Richfield Police Chief Trent Lloyd, speaking to Fox 13. “We’re lucky that no one was hurt.”
ABC 4, citing court documents, reported that Katey recognized the suspect’s walk on the security footage as that of her ex-husband — a key detail that led to his arrest.
Jail records show that Delmar Barney was taken into custody in Sevier County.
KSL reported that Katey had already obtained a protective order against him before the incidents.
“I know arson cases are really hard to solve sometimes, but I’m glad they were able to get enough to make an arrest,” she told ABC 4. “And I can rest easier knowing that it’s not going to happen anymore.”
