Utah Teen Arrested For Setting Fire To 2 Churches, Writes “Satan Lives” Graffiti

OREM, UT — A Utah woman is under arrest for setting fire to two buildings owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The suspect also reportedly wrote graffiti at both locations, declaring, “Satan Lives.” The damages are estimated to be in the range of $600,000.

Jillian Robinson, 18, has been arrested for arson, burglary, criminal mischief, and possession of burglary tools. She is being held at the Utah County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

According to court documents, police responded to reports of a fire at an LDS church at around 2 A.M. last Friday. The officers noticed a broken glass door leading into the chapel, and saw several small blazes in the facility, which they put out with a fire extinguisher.

The arrest affidavit also notes that someone had scrawled “Satan Lives” with a black marker on the chapel wall.

While checking other LDS buildings in the area as a precaution, officers discovered a woman on the sidewalk outside a Mormon meeting house, where, above the doorjamb, someone had again written, “Satan Lives.” The police said it appeared that a fire had been attempted at the second site as well.

The police stated that the woman was holding a backpack containing a water bottle filled with gasoline, a power drill, a lighter, matches, and a black Sharpie marker. After running her license plate, officers identified the woman as Jillian Robinson.

Initially, Robinson denied any involvement with the fires. Later, however, she wrote in a voluntary witness statement: “I acted alone in the fire that was started at the church on 1200 North. I was angry and all wanted to do was set a small fire and it got out of control. I fled the scene and didn't look back. I felt like playing with fire because of my crazy life at home, this was not a hate crime.”

Orem Police Lieutenant Craig Martinez, who arrested Robinson, told the press, “It's obvious she doesn’t agree with maybe some of the things with the LDS Church and that’s maybe why she picked that. She’s only been 18 for about six months now, so super young. Not a good start.”

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