The case for the woman accused of starting the Highland Lakes fire last year was placed on a mental health stay Monday because of concerns about her competency.

Lowa Tillitt, 77, also referred to as Lacey Tillitt in public records, was arrested Jan. 16 for allegedly starting the Highland Lakes fire Oct. 28. Tillitt faces one charge of felony arson endangering more than $1 million in property.

Law enforcement at the time stated that the fire burned 166 acres northwest of Divide and caused more than 700 households to be evacuated.

Tillitt appeared to Teller County court on Monday in custody for her preliminary hearing where her attorney, Andrew Brown, informed the court he was requesting a continuance.

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Brown stated that the reason for continuing the hearing was due to concerns over Tillitt’s competency to proceed. Brown said that Tillitt is undergoing a competency evaluation in her open misdemeanor case, and he felt it was best to trail the results of the competency evaluation in that case before proceeding.

In her misdemeanor case Tillitt faces two charges — harassment and obstructing a peace officer, firefighter or emergency medical service provider.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by The Gazette, sheriff’s officers were dispatched to Tillitt’s home on June 7, 2024, for a welfare check because Tillitt had made “over 17 phone calls” to the Teller County Department of Human Services.

Ralph Parsons, with Teller DHS, told law enforcement that Tillitt “abused the hotline and tied up the lines for a period of over four hours,” and that Tillitt threatened suicide and was hostile and rude to DHS workers during the phone calls.

Records show that after the fire, Tillitt failed to appear to two court dates for her misdemeanor case, one in December and another in January. She is set to return to court in her misdemeanor case March 10 for a review hearing.

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According to Brown, the first evaluation found Tillitt competent to proceed and a second evaluation ordered by Tillitt’s defense has yet to be completed.

Tillitt will return to court for her arson case March 31.

Prior to the end of the hearing Tillitt informed Judge William Moller that she “hasn’t heard any of this (Brown’s plans regarding the continuance of the preliminary hearing),” but that it was “whatever.” Brown, who appeared to court virtually via WebEx, informed Tillitt that he would be reaching out to her after the hearing.

According to an arrest affidavit previously obtained by The Gazette, Tillitt allegedly told investigators she had been burning carboard boxes inside her house in her wood-burning stove. When she opened the oven to burn more material, the flames escaped, lighting the couch on fire.

Tillitt told law enforcement that she tried to put the couch fire out, but was unsuccessful.

During law enforcement’s investigation, they discovered the “estranged” relationship Tillitt had with her insurance company, American National, and learned the residence was set to foreclose, according to the arrest affidavit.

The relationship with Tillitt’s insurance company became so woeful after the cancellation of her plan that according to her arrest affidavit she made “approximately seven statements of setting her residence on fire.”

In the days leading up to Oct. 28, the day the fire broke out, Tillitt allegedly called several times “claiming she was going to die.” Tillitt is described as being hysterical, yelling and screaming in these calls, according to the arrest affidavit.

The day after the fire broke out, Tillitt called American National, informing them her house had burnt down. Investigations revealed her home was originally set for foreclosure Sept. 9, but kept getting delayed until Oct. 30, two days before the fire started.

Tillitt appeared in court Monday from the custody of the Teller County jail; she faces a $50,000 bond to be released.

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