Testimony is expected to resume at 8 a.m., this morning in the Pat Tinsley arson trial.
Judge Rene Williams is expected to have ruled on an unanticipated legal matter by the scheduled start time. She surprisingly recessed the court and sent the jury home after dinner break Thursday night. Testimony was expected well into the evening.
Tinsley, 50, is accused of conspiring along with his wife to burn their home on Aug. 1, 2010 in order to collect the insurance money. Tinsley's wife, 47-year-old Glenda Tinsley, died in that fire at their two-story Wilson Farm Road home. He is charged with second-degree arson by complicity, a Class B felony, and reckless homicide, a Class D felony.
Testimony on Thursday included 14 witnesses called by prosecutor Zac Greenwell, the commonwealth's attorney for Crittenden, Union and Webster counties. Most of those called to the stand were investigators, both from state and local law enforcement agencies and responding firemen. One off-duty lawman told the jury he'd seen Pat Tinsley drive through town about 15 minutes before the fire was reported. Tinsley's sister testified that her brother was in Tolu when their mother's home police scanner alerted them of the fire.
Testimony also revealed that a Zippo lighter and cell phone were found next to the fire victim's body when it was recovered by the coroner and state police from the charred remains of the home. A medical examiner testified that Glenda Tinsley died of smoke inhalation.
The Press Online will periodically post updates on this trial at the Crittenden County Courthouse.
