New Church woman strikes plea deal for January arson

By Linda Cicoira

A New Church woman pleaded no contest Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court to the arson of a Gretta Road house on Jan. 4, the place from which she was evicted just a day before the two-story dwelling was destroyed by fire.

Thirty-four-year-old Asia Renee Woolford, of Cropper Lane in New Church, entered what is also called an Alford plea, which generally means she maintains her innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution has enough evidence to convict her. In this case, she said she did this to get a plea bargain. Regardless of the motivation, the Alford plea is equivalent to a guilty plea by the court in that she can’t appeal or request a jury.

Woolford admitted that she broke into a nearby Horsey Road home and damaged property about a week later. It appeared that she moved much of her property to the vacant house owned by Allison Ford. The power was off there.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan said windows were broken, there was a hole in a section of the living room at the Ford house where soot was found, and the back door was damaged. Morgan said the damage was “substantial” and that he would disclose restitution figures at a sentencing next week.

Nelson Cancel had recently purchased the house that was destroyed by arson. Firefighters arrived to find fire and dark smoke predominantly coming from the front left side of the first floor. The blaze, which was later found to be deliberately set, eventually spread to the second story.

In court records, Woolford told investigators at the scene that she wasn’t there when the fire started and had already moved her belongings out. She said she didn’t notice anything abnormal while there. She claimed the back door was left open.

Cancel told an investigator, also according to court records, that he bought the house in November of 2024 and was informed by the previous owner that there was a squatter. The new owner said Woolford told him that it was her house. Cancel said he offered her money to assist with moving, but eventually, he had to evict her.

The plea agreement called for Woolford to be sentenced to 10 years for burglary at the Ford house, with nine years suspended and five years for property destruction, with four years and six months suspended. Those terms would run concurrently.