Bride-to-be ‘stole lighters and torched church’ on the night time earlier than her wedding ceremony

Bride-to-be Lenita “Tessa” Joy Moreno, 25, is accused of stealing lighters then using a tampon to start a fire in the Mormon church where she was due to marry next day

A bride-to-be has been accused of stealing lighters and trying to torch the church using a tampon where she was due to marry the next day. Investigators have subsequently been claiming the entire wedding may have been based on a lie.

Lenita “Tessa” Joy Moreno, 25, is now in custody in Kaysville, Utah in the US, after a fire at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meeting house on July 10.

The Kaysville Fire Department reportedly called police to investigate, with local and federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (the ATF). Authorities found the blaze was deliberately started using “unusual materials”, including a tampon.

Court documents allege Moreno and her fiancé had visited an Ace Hardware store earlier that day to buy hooks for wedding decorations. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Moreno pocketing two to three cigarette lighters while her groom was elsewhere in the shop.

Later that evening, Moreno, the groom and four family members were at the church setting up, CBS Austin reported. Police claimed Moreno and her fiancé went to “secure” the Relief Society room shortly before leaving.

Moments later the fire alarm sounded. Relatives allegedly found flames burning under a chair and managed to extinguish it with a fire extinguisher and water taken from the wedding decorations.

Despite the quick action, the alleged damage bill was put at more than $108,000 (about £84,000) to repair. Officers also said there were six people inside the building when the fire was started.

Moreno’s story allegedly began to quickly unravel. Police claimed that she initially gave a false identity – “Tessa Moran” – and admitted she also provided a false birthdate on the night of the fire.

When questioned about the alleged shoplifting, she is said to have admitted taking something but refused to say what, East Idaho News reported. Investigators also discovered she had repeatedly lied to her fiancé and family about securing a marriage license — and state records showed no such document had been issued for the planned wedding.

“Lenita [Moreno] is from out of state and through the investigation has been found to… continually be deceptive and take drastic steps to hide her lies,” an arresting officer wrote.

Moreno was booked into the Davis County Jail on July 27 and is being held without bail. She faces a first-degree felony charge of aggravated arson, plus misdemeanour counts of retail theft and providing false information to a peace officer.

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