Not Guilty Plea Is Entered in Fire Death
A La Habra janitor pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Friday to charges of murder and torture in the burning death of a Tustin bookkeeper who was doused with gasoline and set on fire.
Jonathan Daniel D’Arcy, 30, softly replied “yes” when Municipal Judge Gary P. Ryan asked him if he was pleading not guilty. Ryan set a preliminary hearing date of April 2 for D’Arcy, who is being held at the County Jail without bail.
The defendant is accused of setting Kari LaBorde on fire Feb. 2. D’Arcy was allegedly angry because Quintessence of Building Maintenance Co., the firm that occasionally hired him as a contract custodian, was late with a $150 paycheck.
According to authorities, he went to Quintessence in Tustin and demanded to see the company’s bookkeeper. D’Arcy allegedly pushed his way into LaBorde’s office and threw a cup of gasoline at her head.
LaBorde, 42, died at UCI Medical Center about nine hours after being burned over 95% of her body.
D’Arcy was arrested shortly after the attack in a parking lot next to Quintessence. He could face the death penalty if convicted.
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