Ohio woman admits responsibility for fire that killed teen

WARREN, Ohio (Court TV) — A woman who was set to stand trial for starting a house fire that killed a teenage girl has reached a plea deal with prosecutors, avoiding a possible death sentence.

Patricia Zarlingo pleaded guilty today to aggravated murder, aggravated arson and other offenses in connection with the 2023 fire in Warren, Ohio, that killed 16-year-old Chassidy Broadstone.

According to investigators, Broadstone's mother, Rose Richards, was engaged to Zarlingo's ex-boyfriend, James Stein. Zarlingo and Stein, who had a child together, were involved in a child support dispute at the time. Zarlingo, now 29, told police she intended to “make Stein angry” by having two men break into the house to steal a television and an Xbox video game console .

Zarlingo drove Zackary Gurd and Brenden Daviduk home shortly before 2 a.m. on January 19, 2023. Zarlingo and Daviduk were a couple at the time. After stealing the electronic devices, Gurd and Daviduk poured gasoline and started the fire.

Broadstone and her two older sisters were in the house when the fire started. The older sisters, who were 18 and 20, managed to escape through a second-story window. Chassidy's body was found in an upstairs bathroom.

Prosecutors had surveillance video of Zarlingo's GMC Yukon SUV near the house the night of the fire; cell phone data also placed her there.

Richards, Stein and Broadstone's father, Roger Broadstone, were willing to agree to a settlement. They each gave emotional impact statements to the victim during today's hearing. In essence, they lamented that Chassidy would never get to experience milestone events like prom and marriage. They expressed sadness at the irony that if Zarlingo and his co-defendants had handled the case like adults, a child would not have lost her life.

After reading victim impact statements, Judge Sean O'Brien handed down a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years. Zarlingo will also have to register as a violent offender.

Zarlingo entered into what is called a Rule 11 plea agreement. The judge made it clear that he did not favor this sentence and that he agreed to it only because it was what the victim's family wanted. Judge O'Brien had approved the death sentence and would have imposed a death sentence if the jury had recommended it. He also said he would have given Zarlingo a longer prison sentence if it had been his choice.

Gurd, 24, and Daviduk, 27, had already pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. They were expected to testify against Zarlingo, if she had gone to trial. Gurd and Daviduk still face sentencing, as they were expected to learn their fate after testifying. Gurd faces 40 to 60 years in prison, or even life imprisonment, while Daviduk accepted a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 30 years.