Woman accused of intentionally burning family’s home will stay behind bars
VENN
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Alicia Newman -- the woman accused of intentionally setting fire to her grandmother and great-aunt's home which resulted in their deaths -- will stay behind bars.
Due for a bond hearing, Newman had a chance to hear the judge's ruling in-person, but she decided with her attorney to withdraw the motion for bond.
While other charges are filed against her in Richmond Domestic and Juvenile Court, Newman was silent but waved to family and friends inside Chesterfield court on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
Newman has sat inside the Chesterfield County Jail without bond since mid-October, but Newman and her attorney -- Ericka Battle -- decided they do not want the judge to consider whether she could walk free for now.
"It's not really unusual," 8News Legal Analyst Russ Stone said. "It may be that they just decided that today we don't feel like we have enough evidence to present that to the judge."
Newman was charged with arson at a home on Rosegill Road where she lived from time to time with her four kids. Her grandmother, Evelyn Newman, and great-aunt, Hazel Johnson, also lived there, and were inside the home at the time of the fire and died from their injuries.
"If the person is accused of any kind of homicide or any activity that has resulted in the death of another human being, you warn your client that there's a good chance the judge is going to say 'no, but we'll take our best shot and we'll see,'" Stone said.
Other charges hang over Newman's shoulders, however.
Richmond court records say on or around Aug. 28, 2025, Newman allegedly attempted "to maliciously shoot, stab, cut, or wound" a man named Edward Stokes and had been driving in a way which could kill someone.
Newman was charged with another felony at the same time for placing her kids' lives at risk, according to authorities.
Stone said it's still very early in the process as Newman will be back in court again for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
"That's the first time when the government has to actually prove something. They don't have to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, but they just have to prove by probable cause that this crime occurred," Stone said.
