Suspect in Fire Death Described as a ‘Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde’

Jonathan Daniel D’Arcy, the suspect in the burning death of a Tustin bookkeeper, was described by friends Wednesday as having a “Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde” personality inclined to wild rages that turned him into “the meanest person in the world.”

From the front porch of his La Habra home, Jeremy Willis, 17, the son of a woman with whom D’Arcy lived on and off for the past five years, said the janitor was sometimes “a nice guy” but “deserves to die” if convicted in the slaying of Karin M. LaBorde.

“My mom loved him and she still will, even though it’s over between them now,” the pale, lanky Sonora High School senior said, sitting beside his twin sister, Carrie.

Tustin police said that D’Arcy, a custodian described as enraged over a late $150 paycheck from the custodial services firm where LaBorde worked, would be arraigned in her slaying this morning.

Lt. Chuck Crane said detectives confirmed that the liquid poured on LaBorde was gasoline. Witnesses said D’Arcy burst into her office Tuesday and splashed it in her face before igniting it.

D’Arcy and LaBorde appear to have been mere acquaintances at the janitorial firm, but court records paint a violent picture of D’Arcy in his relationship with Joan Leslie Willis.

The La Habra woman obtained three restraining orders against D’Arcy between 1987 and 1989, alleging that he had assaulted her and chased her children.

Her children reported that the couple had reconciled recently, however, and had even begun to attend church services at Calvary Chapel Church in Diamond Bar.

“My mom wants to pray for the other family,” said Jeremy Willis, referring to the husband and two teen-age children of the burning victim. “She wants to help them. They need it.”

Carrie Willis said she liked D’Arcy, considering him a “nice” but moody person who could be friendly one minute, then suddenly become “all psycho--just the meanest person in the world.”

Her brother said D’Arcy complained often that Quintessence Building Maintenance Co. took “months and months” to pay and had “cheated him out of a lot of money.” Company officials declined to comment on that issue.

As a teen-ager, D’Arcy had been placed in juvenile detention for committing burglaries, as well as in classes for the emotionally handicapped. His father was sentenced to prison in Illinois for bank robbery when D’Arcy was young.

Jeremy Willis said D’Arcy complained about his mother, saying she was an avid member of a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation who “was always breaking his rock records and throwing away his guitars.”

He said he was heartbroken over Tuesday’s events, and wanted to reach out to LaBorde’s children.

Quintessence Co. said the Orange Evangelical Free Church is accepting donations for LaBorde’s family. Contributions may be sent to the Karen LaBorde Family Relief Fund, 1350 E. Taft Ave., Orange 92665.

Memorial services will be at the church at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Times staff writer Thuan Le contributed to this story.