F.B.I. Says Arson Killed Woman Accused in License Scheme

New York Times ^ | Friday, February 15, 2002

[JohnHuang2]

February 15, 2002

F.B.I. Says Arson Killed Woman Accused in License Scheme

By REUTERS

EMPHIS, Feb. 14 — A deliberately set fire caused the death of a driver's license examiner who had been accused of illegally selling licenses to five Middle Eastern men who were being investigated for possible ties to terrorism, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has said.

Gasoline was poured on the clothing of the examiner, Katherine Smith, before she burned to death on Sunday in an automobile accident, J. Suzanne Nash, an F.B.I. agent, said on Wednesday.

Ms. Smith died one day before she was to have appeared in court with her five co-defendants after being arrested last week on charges of conspiracy to obtain driver's licenses illegally.

In a federal court hearing here on Wednesday, Ms. Nash said an accelerant had been found in Ms. Smith's car, adding that her death was "not an accident."

Investigators have said the gasoline tank of the automobile did not explode. Ms. Nash also said witnesses had reported that the interior of Ms. Smith's car was on fire before the vehicle struck a utility pole, causing just minor damage to the car.

Ms. Nash told the court on Monday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was looking into whether the five men who were arrested had ties to terrorist groups, citing connections to the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

The five men, one of whom said he was a plumber at the trade center and had a visitor's pass to the towers dated Sept. 5, are being held without bond.

A lawyer for one of the defendants has denied that they had any connection to terrorism and said they were seeking documentation to work in the United States.

[JohnHuang2]

Quote of the Day by joanie-f

[okie01]

I would've liked to have heard what she had to say, though...

[GeronL]

does this scream cover-up??

[Amore]

A lawyer for one of the defendants has denied that they had any connection to terrorism

Oh, well, if his lawyer says so, I guess we're all wrong. Our bad!

[martin_fierro]

Boy, does it ever.

[martin_fierro]

A lawyer for one of the defendants has denied that they had any connection to terrorism
Oh, well, if his lawyer says so, I guess we're all wrong. Our bad!

There are two things I can guarantee you about that defense counsel:

1. He sure as hell doesn't want his client to know where he lives; and
2. He'd better obtain an acquittal for his terrorist client, or face a similar fate to Ms. Smith's.

[weegee]

PING, here's the update we were all expecting from the other threads...

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I don't trust the reporter to correctly write this story.

Did the gal die from the fire or did they just find the accelerant on her proving arson and have yet to find the cause of death?

In theory she could have been killed, placed in the car, set on fire and rolled into the pole.

Setting herself on fire in a car seems like a really strange way to kill yourself so I'm sure it was murder, but is it out in left field to think the reporter may have tried to fill in the blanks when all the coroner said was she was lit on fire on purpose.

Anybody from down there have any more info on this?

[weegee]

BUMP

[weegee]

There was smoke in her lungs, leading the coroner to conclude that she was still breathing when the fire started.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

FYI, an update.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Thanks. Didn't see that in this article. Is that from another article or are you a local and getting it from the news?

[Cobra64]

...so I'm sure it was murder...

Really? I thought she dropped a cigarette in her lap. Oh well, silly me.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

You trying to pick a fight?lol

[babylonian]

The plot mix on this one would seem to be pretty thick. We have a major problem (and scandal brewing) in Tennessee over easily available drivers licenses. No problemo, just step right up! Doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, or if you are a US citizen or not!

The really interesting part is, the (Memphis) Commercial Appeal (newspaper) seems to be trying to get the story nailed down, but the Nashville paper, the Tennesseean, does not even have a reporter on it. They're taking the story from the AP. And in Nashville it's not even a front page story. We're all trying to figure out why! It's national news, but the local paper is burying it!

I'm sure we are all going to be hearing a lot more about all this. It's gonna bust wide open!

[weegee]

Anybody from down there have any more info on this?

Here's some links to some relavent threads:

WOMAN ARRESTED FOR AIDING ARABS IN DRIVER'S LICENSE SCAM PRESUMED DEAD (lengthy post as information trickled in and speculation considered what may have happened).

Feds fear license examiner is dead - Memphis Woman's co-defendants tied to 9/11, judge told (later thread with more details)

Article Body from car was defendant in driver's license case, medical examiner rules (this article is linked in some of the threads and gave details of the death)

Among other details in this case, she had purchased the car from one of the defendents giving him the access to a duplicate key (to tamper with the car if necessary).

[weegee]

Really? I thought she dropped a cigarette in her lap. Oh well, silly me.

Maybe if she just syphoned a full tank of gas with a hose and accidently spilled the can of sterno she was drinking...

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Silly weegee. You don't drink sterno! You filter Aqua velva through bread and then add just a little sterno to make it smooth. Just like Early Times.