Beckman accused of starting May 20 structure fire in Libby

A woman accused of trying to burn down a Libby salon in May allegedly started the fire because she thought the shop was home to criminal activity.

Karrie Lynn Beckman, 48, faces a single felony arson charge in Lincoln County District Court. She pleaded not guilty during her Sept. 27 arraignment.

Beckman admitted starting the May 20 fire after authorities arrested her on a driving under the influence charge in July, but she already was under investigation, court documents said. Several individuals approached law enforcement prior to Beckman’s arrest to report that she had divulged to them her role in the fire.

In an affidavit filed in district court, County Attorney Marcia Boris wrote that crews with the Libby Volunteer Fire Department responded to a blaze on the 1100 block of Minnesota Avenue about 4:02 a.m., May 20. The fire began in a closed carport area designated for storage, one of three structures on the property.

An adjacent building, the main structure at the site, also sustained fire damage. A woman and infant were inside at the time of the blaze, court documents said.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but were unable to immediately determine a cause. On July 19, city Fire Marshal Steve Lauer contacted Libby Police officer Ronald Buckner. Lauer said a relative of Beckman identified her as the arsonist and provided an audio recording backing up the accusation, according to court documents.

The relative told authorities that Beckman acted in response to her belief that the carport housed criminal activity, according to court documents. She also reported that Beckman had confessed her role in the fire to several others, including her boss and the property owner.

Buckner and Lauer interviewed the property owner the following day. He and his son both said that they saw Beckman emerge from the darkness between the carport and main building as firefighters fought to extinguish the blaze back in May. She had no reason to be on the property, they told the investigators, according to court documents.

About a week later, Beckman approached the landowner at home and confessed, court documents said.

“I’m sorry, I burned your shop up,” she told him, according to court documents.

The property owner told investigators that Beckman provided the same reason she gave others: The carport was home to criminal activity.

Other individuals also told authorities that Beckman had confessed to starting the fire to them, court documents said.

Lauer and Buckner sat down to interview Beckman after her July 20 arrest on a driving under the influence charge. During the conversation, Beckman allegedly confessed to starting the fire with a lighter and a pile of cardboard found on the floor of the carport.

Arson carries a penalty of 20 years behind bars and a $50,000 fine. Were the case to go to trial, it would begin Feb. 15.