Woman accused of setting grandmother’s house on fire makes first court appearance

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Accused of setting her grandmother and great-aunt's home on fire Saturday morning, Alicia Newman appeared in court for the first time on Monday since her arrest over the weekend.

8News previously reported on sisters Evelyn Newman and Hazel Johnson who were living at the home on Rosegill Road, and died due to their injuries.

Twenty-five-year-old Alicia was practically silent and offered short responses as she appeared virtually in front of the Chesterfield judge on Monday, Oct. 20.

Alicia asked the court to be paired with an attorney, and will have Ericka Battle represent her. According to the judge, Alicia will be in court again later in the week for a bond hearing.

Being held without bond now, she's being charged with arson, believed to have set on fire the house of Evelyn -- Alicia's grandmother -- and Johnson.

Chesterfield Lieutenant James Lamb told 8News Alicia had previously lived there but recently had been living in her car and in hotels.

The authorities caught up to her, though, as she was arrested off Laburnum Avenue in Henrico County, according to Lamb.

On Sunday, Oct. 19, 8News spoke with one of Evelyn and Johnson's neighbors, Annie Jones, who witnessed that fire.

"I noticed the house was surrounded. There were barriers. There were firemen walking all around, and I could see a little bit of smoke over the top of the roof," Jones said.

The neighborhood has now changed without them there. Flowers are now left on the lawn.

"I see countless people come by out of respect -- I want to say — and just look, take pictures. Some of them may have known the family longer than I have, and I could just see the sadness on their face," Jones said.

Alicia has another court date set for Tuesday, Dec. 2.