Woman sentenced to 180 years for setting Maryland townhouse on fire, killing three roommates
Bobbie Sue Hodge
By Christian Olaniran
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HARFORD COUNTY, Maryland (WJZ) — A Maryland woman has been sentenced to 180 years for setting a Harford County town home on fire, which killed three of her roommates and another woman, according to the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Bobbie Sue Hodge, 66, was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree assault.
On May 9, 2019, around 2:30 a.m., firefighters responded to a residential fire at 1962 Simons Court in Edgewood.
The fire crews extinguished the fire and rescued occupants. Three residents died due to smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, while a fourth was rescued by firefighters but succumbed to her injuries eight months later, the State’s Attorney’s Office said.
During an investigation, officials learned Hodge lived in a room in the basement of the residence and had escaped the fire fully clothed with her belongings and personal documents.
They also learned Hodge was going to be evicted from the home, repeatedly left the kitchen stove on, and made comments that she should burn the home down.
Witnesses also reported spotting Hodge moving away from a couch on the second floor as the fire started.
The cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary, resulting from deliberate acts of introducing an open flame to combustibles.
Five other adjacent townhomes were also damaged as a result of the fire.
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