Northeast Iowa Woman Accused of Arson to Avoid Prison in Plea Deal

A Northeast Iowa woman, facing felony arson charges following a fire last summer that destroyed three homes, has taken a plea deal to avoid prison. 

Oelwein Police arrested 51-year-old Jeannie Murphy of Oelwein on June 3, 2025, after she started a fire at the home she lived in, with the fire then spreading to two neighboring homes. All three homes were total losses. 

Murphy was charged with two counts of first-degree arson, Class B felonies, plus one count of second-degree arson, a Class C felony.

According to criminal complaints, Murphy admitted to setting the fire. 

After initially pleading not guilty, Murphy was scheduled for “further proceedings” in Fayette County District Court on May 27th. However, on Thursday (05.14), she agreed to a plea deal.

The agreement indicates Murphy will plead guilty to second-degree arson, with one count of first-degree also reduced to second-degree arson. The other first-degree arson charge is to be dismissed.  She was to serve 10 years for each count to run consecutively for a total of 20 years.

The sentence is to be fully suspended, with Murphy instead ordered to be housed at “Open Doors” shelter in Dubuque. Once she completes the programming at Open Doors, she shall remain on probation. Murphy will remain held at the Fayette County Jail until a bed becomes available at Open Doors. 

In 2023, Murphy was charged with domestic assault after she poured what she claimed was homemade acid on a man in the same home destroyed by the fire last June. She took a plea deal for a two-day jail sentence.

While in jail for the acid assault, Murphy attacked a detention officer and was charged with attempted murder. She would later plead guilty to a reduced count of assault on persons in certain occupations and received a year of probation.