Bail Set for Northeast Iowa Woman Accused of Setting Fire that Destroyed Three Homes

Bail has been set at $150,000 cash bond for a northeast Iowa woman facing felony arson charges following a fire that destroyed three homes.

Oelwein Police say the initial fire started just after 2 am Tuesday (06.03) morning at a home in the 300 block of First Avenue Northeast in Oelwein. The fire then spread to two neighboring homes, with all three homes deemed total losses. OPD said firefighters deemed the fire suspicious in nature.

Later the same day, OPD arrested 50-year-old Jeannie Marie Murphy of Oelwein, who has been charged with two counts of first-degree arson, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison, plus one count of second-degree arson, a Class C felony.

According to criminal complaints, Murphy admitted to setting the fire that burned down the three houses in total, which included intentionally starting her own house on fire at 316 First Avenue Northeast in Oelwein first. 

No one was hurt in the fire, which remains under investigation.     

Murphy is being held in the Fayette County Jail in West Union on $150,000 cash bond. She is scheduled for an initial appearance in Fayette County District Court on Wednesday (06.11).                   

In 2023, Murphy was charged with domestic assault when she poured what she claimed was homemade acid on a man in the same home destroyed by this week’s fire. She took a plea deal in that case and received a two-day jail sentence.

While she was in the Fayette County Jail for the homemade acid assault, Murphy attacked a detention officer and she was charged with attempted murder. She later took a plea deal to assault on persons in certain occupations and received a year of probation.