An army wife accused of setting a fire that killed her two small children will answer to murder and arson charges Wednesday.more>> An Army wife charged with setting a fire that killed her two young children at her Fort Campbell, Ky., home was held without bond pending a possible death penalty trial.more>> Billi Jo Smallwood is charged with setting a fire that killed her two young children. She also faces federal charges of attempting to destroy a residential facility for members of the U.S. Army. more>> A federal grand jury charged a Kentucky woman with setting fire that killed her two children. The fire happened at her home at Fort Campbell.more>> Spc. Wayne Smallwood, a Fort Campbell soldier injured in a fatal fire in May, said he did all he could to try to save his two stepchildren. Their infant sister and mother survived.more>> Rebekah Smallwood, 2, and Samuel Fagan, 9, died in the early morning fire on the Army post. A soldier had minor injuries. Their mother was severely injured.more>> Two children died in a fire on the Fort Campbell Army post. The Fort Campbell Fire Department is investigating the fire along with the Kentucky State Fire Marshal's office, Fort Campbell Military Police and the Criminal Investigation Division. more>>
PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) -- A soldier's wife has pleaded not guilty to charges of setting a fire that killed her two young children.
A judge's order also shows 35-year-old Billi Jo Smallwood pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a federal charge of attempting to destroy a residential facility for members of the U.S. Army that caused the death of two minors.
The May 2007 fire at Smallwood's Fort Campbell home killed 9-year-old Sam Fagan and 2-year-old Rebekah Smallwood and injured her husband, Army Spc. Wayne Smallwood. The Smallwoods' toddler daughter, Nevaeh, was not injured.
Billi Jo Smallwood could face execution or life in prison if convicted. U.S. Magistrate Judge W. David King appointed a federal public defender for Smallwood, who listed no income since being charged.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
