NEWS

Woman extradited from Alabama on Petal arson charge

Tim Doherty
American Staff Writer

PETAL – A 38-year-old Petal woman was extradited from Alabama and charged with burning down a home to cover a burglary she had committed.

Samantha A. Joyce was denied bond and is being held at the Forrest County Jail after being charged with grand larceny and arson.

Petal police had been seeking Joyce in connection with a March 27 house fire in the 100 block of West Second Street.

After the fire had been extinguished, investigators determined that not only had the blaze been set deliberately, but that several guns and pieces of jewelry had been taken from the home before the fire.

The investigation led to Joyce, who was an acquaintance of the homeowner. After two months of searching for her whereabouts, Joyce was found and arrested in Mobile, Alabama.