Woman accused of starting Highland Lakes Fire deemed incompetent to stand trial
TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- A Teller County woman has been deemed incompetent to stand trial in the case where she stands accused of igniting last year's Highland Lakes fire, court records show.
The fire forced families to evacuate for days, with over 700 homes threatened by the flames, the Teller County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) said at the time.
The widespread fire started at 78-year-old Lowa "Lacey" Tillett's home, according to the sheriff's office. During our previous reporting, neighbors told KRDO13 that on the day of the fire, they heard a loud bang before seeing that Tillitt's home was ablaze.
13 Investigates found that her home was under foreclosure at the time of the fire, according to public records. The Teller County Public Trustees Office confirmed to 13 Investigates that the home was set for auction on Nov. 13, 2024. But just weeks before it would be auctioned, it burnt to the ground.
In January of this year, Tillitt was arrested and charged with arson. According to arrest records, Tillitt told law enforcement that she had been burning cardboard boxes in a stove to discard them when the fire spread to her couch and got out of control.
However, over the course of their investigation, deputies reported in arrest records that they found Tillitt had been having an ongoing dispute with her insurance company. Arrest records say that recorded phone calls between Tillitt and American National showed her to be irate, aggressive, and at times hysterical.
According to deputies, Tillitt made several statements about setting her residence on fire as a means by which to kill herself, even describing a scenario where her insurance claims adjuster would be tied up to watch the home burn.
After the fire, Tillitt stayed at the Manitou Cog Hotel for months until her arrest, hotel management told KRDO13. Management added that she appeared to be mentally unwell.
Court records show that Tillitt was deemed incompetent to stand trial on Monday. For the trial to proceed, she will need to be "restored to competency," which typically would involve therapy or medication. Her next review is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026, according to court records.
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