El Cajon

A 19-year-old former resident of the Linda Turman Guest Home in El Cajon was ordered to stand trial on Friday on arson and murder charges relating to a fire that killed three residents there on Feb. 6.

An El Cajon police detective told San Diego Municipal Court Judge Joseph Davis that David Giles admitted to police that he started the fire as “an experiment” at the home for the mentally disabled.

“He indicated there had been some newspapers on the couch. Some fingernail polish remover had spilled on the couch,” testified Don Darrow.

“As an experiment he had thrown a lighted cigarette on it. He indicated this was an experiment and was supposed to be small,” Darrow said.

Giles tried to put out the fire with his coat but was unsuccessful, Darrow said.

“It became so hot that he exited the room. He indicated he really didn’t know what to do,” Darrow said.

Killed were Pietra Corrao, 47; Patty Ann Melton, 33, and Mark Buis, 33, whose wife, Debbie, 33, was seriously injured.

Giles’ attorney, Bill Youmans, argued that the charges should be involuntary manslaughter, not murder, because it was not premeditated.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Wayne Mayer responded that a death during an arson “is still a first-degree murder.”

Davis ordered Giles tried on all charges. Giles is in County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.

A preliminary hearing for Nayoma Raleigh, the home’s manager who is suspected of turning off the home’s fire alarm system about a week before the blaze, is set for June 13. She is accused of three counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Raleigh is free on $10,000 bail.