Murder charges have been filed against a Minneapolis woman accused of intentionally setting a fatal Elliott Park apartment fire.

Deonna Marie Presbury, 35, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and three counts of first-degree arson in connection with the mid-August fire that killed Kerry Sims and Debbie Leshelle Allen.

A large-scale fire broke out at 1501 11th Ave. S. on Aug. 13, 2024 and quickly spread through the stairwell to the roof of the four-story building. Investigators later determined arson to be the cause of the blaze.

Some residents on the upper floors of the 22-unit building were evacuated through their windows, with fire crews using 40-foot ladders, due to the threat of a roof collapse. Four people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation or burns.

More than a day later, authorities discovered and identified the bodies of Sims, 66, and Allen, 59, in the rubble of the collapsed roof after the building manager reported that an elderly resident, Sims, was still unaccounted for.

According to charges filed Monday in Hennepin County District Court, Presbury started two fires – one near the rear stairwell of the second floor and another outside a resident’s second-floor apartment – following an argument with the resident over personal belongings.

Court documents show that Presbury is suspected of intentionally setting fires at other properties, including a Minneapolis apartment that she was evicted from in 2021, and she’s known to carry a torch lighter.

The Minnesota Star Tribune has more details from the criminal complaint. 

Presbury denied setting the fire after her arrest. She is scheduled to make her first court appearance Tuesday. It’s unclear whether she has an attorney, as one isn’t listed for her.

Dozens of residents were displaced and lost their belongings. The American Red Cross told Downtown Voices that many of them didn’t have renters insurance.

Elliot Park Neighborhood, Inc. has continued to assist impacted residents with donations, including winter gear, and resources.