A Missouri woman is heading to prison for 12 years after admitting to setting a house on fire using a bag of Takis tortilla chips.
Patricia Faye Williams, 43, initially pleaded not guilty when she was charged with first-degree arson. However, on Tuesday, during a court appearance in Greene County, she changed her plea to guilty. She had originally been scheduled to stand trial on January 13.
The incident happened on August 11, 2023, in Greene County, Missouri. A woman called 911 that afternoon, reporting that someone had set a house on fire. A nearby police officer, investigating the smoke, arrived quickly at the scene. Outside the burning home, three people, including one in a wheelchair, were waiting safely. One of them identified Williams as the person responsible for starting the fire.
Police detained Williams, noting she had soot on her face and was complaining about smoke inhalation. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment, where officers discovered she had multiple outstanding arrest warrants. Williams was promptly arrested after her treatment.
Springfield Fire Marshal Travis Morrissey later arrived at the scene to investigate. One of the victims, who lived in the house, and two visitors told him they saw Williams pour gasoline from a soda bottle onto clothing and the floor in the laundry room. They also said she lit a bag of Takis chips on fire and tossed it onto the gasoline-soaked clothes.
To confirm this unusual method, Morrissey conducted a quick test to see if Takis chips could actually catch fire. He found that the chips, likely because of their grease content, could indeed support a flame.
Fortunately, no one inside the house was hurt, and everyone managed to escape safely. However, the fire marshal detected a strong smell of gasoline in the laundry room and concluded the fire was intentionally set.
While being treated in the hospital emergency room, Williams admitted to buying $2 worth of gasoline, which was later confirmed through surveillance footage from a gas station. She told investigators she used the Takis chips to start the fire because she knew their grease would help them burn.
After being arrested, Williams was held without bond at the Greene County Jail, as she was deemed a danger to others. This week, she changed her plea to guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
This strange case serves as a reminder of the unexpected ways fires can be started—and the serious consequences for those who put others’ lives in danger.