Woman Jailed For Setting Ex-Husband's Nowata House On Fire

An Edmond woman was arrested for arson after investigators say she confessed to burning her now ex-husband's house down several years ago in Nowata County.

Brenda Jo Smith admitted to the 2012 crime after a witness came forward recently, court documents state. Smith is in the Oklahoma City jail and will soon be transferred to Nowata.

Records show a woman called police to say she witnessed the arson but was afraid to come forward earlier. The witness said she drove Smith to the victim's house to pick up belongings as the couple was divorcing.

While parked outside the home, she "saw a huge black cloud of smoke coming out of the window," investigators say. Smith threatened the woman that she would "go down" with her as an accessory if the witness ever told anyone what happened.

The witness told authorities in January that she and Smith exchanged texts about the arson. Smith again threatened to implicate the witness in the crime but then called police the next day to confess.

Documents say Smith told investigators the stress of the divorce and medical problems caused her to go to the house, remove her belongings and set it on fire.