RENO, Nev. – A woman who served prison time for second-degree murder was arrested yesterday, accused of setting the blaze that killed six people and gutted much of a historic brick hotel in the downtown casino district.
Some of the 60 to 80 hotel residents jumped to safety from windows. Others were rescued by firefighters with ladders and city workers with a boom lift.
Valerie Moore, 47, a casino cook, was arrested on arson and murder charges in Tuesday night's fire at the Mizpah Hotel that police said began when she set fire to a mattress. Hotel workers and neighbors, who described Moore as “nice” and a “good tenant,” said she had been drinking and may have lost control after an argument with another tenant.
Moore was booked into the Washoe County Jail on suspicion of first-degree arson and six counts of first-degree murder. An additional parole violation charge was added, Washoe County Sheriff's Deputy Brooke L. Keast said. Keast confirmed Moore had served time in prison for second-degree murder, but didn't provide details.
“She was a really good tenant. She just had way, way too much to drink yesterday, causing trouble all day,” Sharon Steele, the hotel's general manager, said.
The fire was the city's deadliest in more than 40 years and came two days after the 133rd anniversary of an 1873 fire that destroyed more than 100 buildings in Reno.
It broke out about 10 p.m. and was extinguished early yesterday. The roof had collapsed at the north end of the U-shaped three-story building near Harrah's casino.
About 30 people were injured, mostly with minor injuries. Authorities reported that seven people were hospitalized, two in critical condition in Reno.
