Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
Jan. 22, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The Kansas City woman charged with setting a fire in her Northeast Kansas City nail salon now faces more charges on top of murder and arson charges.

According to a press release from Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, Thu Hong Nguyen, 43, has also been charged with causing a catastrophe, a class A felony, and two counts of second-degree assault, each a class C felony. Nguyen was originally charged with one count of first-degree arson, a class A felony; and two counts of second-degree murder because the two firefighters died as a result of the arson, each also a class A felony. Two firefighters, Larry Leggio and John Mesh, died as a result of the fire. She has pleaded not guilty.

The additional charges were part of an indictment, released today and issued this week by a Jackson County grand jury.

According to court records, an ATF Special Agent with experience in investigating numerous  fires states that two firefighters suffered serious physical injury in addition to the two firefighters who lost their lives. In addition, the special agent stated, that the defendant set the fire and caused substantial damage to five or more inhabitable structures or buildings, including a 16-unit apartment building, placing persons in close proximity in danger of death or injury.

Nguyen remains in custody on a $2 million cash bond.