Eagan woman charged with arson of own home
An Eagan woman faces felony arson charges after allegedly writing her own obituary and setting her home on fire.
Patricia Joy Klatt, 63, was charged on May 31 in Dakota County District Court with first-degree arson for allegedly setting several fires in her own home.
According to the criminal complaint, police arrived at the home at about 10:48 p.m. March 2 after receiving a call from a neighbor.
Police located Klatt at the neighbor’s home where she had entered without permission.
The neighbor’s daughter was on her way to Klatt’s home to check on Klatt’s husband and dog, when she yelled to the officers that she smelled smoke and could hear smoke detectors going off in Klatt’s home.
Officers notified the Eagan Fire Department and briefly searched the burning home for people and pets, but found no one. Officers noticed the curtains in the living room were on fire as well as in a second-floor bedroom.
Officers attempted to speak with Klatt who they described as uncooperative and smelling of alcohol.
Klatt denied consuming alcohol and said her husband was trying to kill her. Upon being asked additional questions, Klatt cursed at officers and said it wasn’t their business.
Officers discovered Klatt’s husband had left the home with their daughter around midnight the prior day after a previous domestic dispute call. Klatt allegedly was the only person in the home when the fire started.
Once the fire was extinguished, officers took photographs and noted that it appeared someone had tampered with fire detectors. An obituary for Klatt had been written out on a table along with songs for her funeral.
The Eagan fire marshal found at least two points of origin for the fire and perhaps three additional areas where a fire was started but failed to spread.
If convicted, Klatt could face up to 20 years in prison.
Klatt is scheduled to appear in court July 2 in Hastings.
