By Millard K. Ives
The Daily Commercial
DELAND, Fla. — A Deland man accused of setting fire to his girlfriend’s bedroom which ended with her landlord dying in flames will stand trial this week.
Christopher John Goodall is charged with murder and arson in the fire that killed 86-year-old landlord, Salvatore Giumarra.
Jury selection is scheduled to start Monday in the Lake County courthouse.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
The fire occurred at 32205 Pine Road home in the Eustis area on April 24, 2010. When firefighters reached the scene, flames and smoke were shooting from the second story, according to the Lake County Fire-Rescue.
Goodall’s girlfriend wasn’t home at the time. The two tenants in the home and a dog had escaped the fire through windows on the second floor. Giumarra died.
Firefighters found his body lying in fire debris in the master bedroom’s closet.
Prosecutor Bill Gross couldn’t be reached last week for comment and it’s not known what evidence he has against Goodall or if he was trying to kill his girlfriend. According to an arrest affidavit for Goodall, K-9 units detected accelerant in the area of the girlfriend’s room during their investigation. Witnesses reported seeing Goodall driving on
Pine Road in his white truck an hour and a half before the fire was reported.
They said he had also threatened to burn down the home.
Sheriff’s officials initially jailed Goodall on an unrelated warrant for failure to pay child support. They later charged him with arson and murder after tests confirmed there was gasoline on the clothing he was wearing the day of the fire.
Copyright 2012 The Daily Commercial (Leesburg, FL)
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