Records explain why Teller Co. woman allegedly set house ablaze, sparking Highland Lakes wildfire

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - New arrest records lay out why investigators believe an elderly woman in Divide allegedly burned her house down and sparked a wildfire that forced 700 homes to evacuate and charred over 160 acres.

***WARNING: Topics discussed in the arrest affidavit within this article, such as suicide, may be upsetting or sensitive to some***

Late last week, 77-year-old Lowa Tillitt was arrested and brought to the Teller County jail, where she was charged with 4th-degree Arson and remains with a $50,000 bond.

She was contacted by the Manitou Springs Police Department at the Manitou Cog Hotel on January 16, at 7:40 a.m., where managers tell KRDO13 she had been staying for months since the fire happened, with her pet dogs. They say she appeared to be unwell mentally.

Deputies say she had a years-long 'estranged' relationship with her insurance provider, American International, in regards to her policy for her 13 Beaver Lake Circle Drive property.

Documents explain that when they arrived on scene of the fire in the Highland Lakes subdivision, they say they spoke with Tillitt, who said she was not entirely sure how long the fire had been burning, guessing it had been around 30 minutes.

She stated that she had been burning cardboard boxes inside her house in her wood-burning stove, not for warmth, but rather to get rid of the boxes, because she lives in a trailer parked outside the residence.

When she opened the stove she says the fire came outside and caught her couch on fire. Tillitt said she tried to put it out but was unsuccessful.

She later explained that she lived in the trailer because she claimed staying inside her home was like being in "squalor", due to a lack of support from American International, her insurance provider.

Investigators were working for months, and say that by December 18th they finally received recorded phone calls between Tillitt and American National.

Records show that in December of 2022, she claimed there was water damage that had occurred in the house.

However, several months later in May of 2023, Tillitt received a notice that her insurance had been canceled by American National. It stated that her house was a fire hazard due to the large amount of debris inside the home and brush and vegetation outside that had not been mitigated. 

Deputies noted that her phone calls around this time became more irate, irrational, aggressive, and often hysterical.

She would claim that American National was not properly addressing her claims or fixing her home, or providing her shelter, while she felt her home was uninhabitable. Tillitt often claimed that she was suicidal and demanded that the insurance resolve all of these issues, or she would commit suicide or will die, as a result of her demands not being met.

From February 12, 2024, through June 2024, Tillitt makes several statements about setting her residence on fire, as a means by which to kill herself, even explaining a scenario where her insurance claims adjuster would be tied up watching the home burn.

In May of 2024 during a welfare check by a Teller County Sheriff's Deputy, Tillitt said to “just ignore the calls, I’m okay, unless you see my house burning." Tillitt immediately moved to another topic, without clarifying whether she was serious or not. She continued on to say she was living in squalor.

In a seven day period in June 2024, Tillitt called American National 30 times expressing suicidal ideations numerous times, and claimed that she was homeless. 

On August 22, Tillitt called American National to figure out where her claims adjuster was. She claimed to be in Dallas, Texas looking for him, and said “I’m on my way I’m in Dallas right now”.

Investigators found that Tillitt had in fact actually driven to the workplace of her claims adjuster in Springfield, Missouri to confront him four days after that phone call.

It resulted in a restraining order filed against her, blocking her from coming near him, his house, or place of work. Springfield Police Department confirmed to Teller County Sheriff's deputies that they had made contact with Tillitt on August 26, 2024, however no police report or arrest was made since it was civil matter.

On October 25, 2024 at 4:25 p.m., which was three days before the fire broke out, Tillitt called American National stating she was living in her trailer, but had been served notice that she couldn’t live in the trailer by the Teller County Sheriff's Office. Investigators noted she was hysterical throughout the recorded conversation, and demanded several times to know why her policy was canceled in May 2023. 

Fast forward, and by October 28, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Tillitts house was completely on fire, and the blaze had spread rapidly with dry terrain and high winds.

The next day, Tillitt called American National to say her house had burned down.

Documents also explained that Tillit's residence was scheduled for foreclosure on September 9, 2024, however, it was rescheduled several times. First, it was on September 20, then on October 30, two days after the fire. Details first reported by KRDO13 Investigates.

The sale was postponed once again to November 13, but was then canceled after the representatives for the mortgage lender were informed the house had been burnt down.

Tillitt has remained in Teller County jail since January 16, for a charge of 4th Degree Arson, which is a Class 2 Felony.