Woman Charged In Apartment Fire Was Under Eviction

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — Just four days after being released from jail on child abuse charges, police said 27-year-old Shayla Davis set her Leake Street apartment building on fire, forcing 13 families from their homes.

SLIDESHOW: Families Displaced By Intentionally-Set Apartment Fire

Davis was charged with first-degree arson and carelessness with fire.

Cozette Dugger, who also lives in the complex, said Davis talked about torching the building hours after getting out of jail.

"She said, ‘If I can't see my kids, if my momma don't let me see my kids this weekend, I'm going to knock on everybody's door and I'm going to let them know I'm going to set my apartment on fire,'" Dugger said.

Dugger said, prior to the Sunday morning fire, she and other neighbors complained to management at the Little Rock Apartments about Davis.

"I had a letter that I wrote complaining about her, because me and Shayla Davis got into an actual altercation," Dugger said. "The rent office knows Shayla Davis well."

Eyewitness News went to the Little Rock Apartments to find out if management had received any complaints or taken any action against Davis, but were told the property manager was out of town.

Reporter Tenikka Smith called the complex's management company, Intercoastal Property Services, Inc., which is based in California, and spoke with Ann Syms, the director of operations. Syms said Davis was under eviction at the time of the fire for a breach of her lease agreement. Syms was not able to elaborate on what the breach was or when the eviction notice was filed.

VIDEO: Woman Charged In Apartment Fire Was Under Eviction

There was an arson call to Davis's address in March, but in that case Davis was listed as the victim. A neighbor called for help after finding a fire burning in front of Davis's door.

Looking back, Dugger said she thinks it was a sign of what was to come -- a tragedy she said management could have prevented.

"You all should have gotten her out of there," Dugger said. "She could have caused someone to get killed yesterday. They need to compensate us, they need to do something."

Intercoastal Property Services, Inc. said it plans to move displaced tenants into vacant units and temporary housing while renovations and repairs are completed. The company is also considering whether to sue Davis for the cost of repairs and other expenses.

Davis is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday on the charges stemming from the fire.

Previous Stories: May 24, 2010: Red Cross Reaches Out To Families Displaced By Fires

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