St. Paul woman accused of starting fires in 2 apartment buildings on same day: Charges

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The St. Paul woman accused of arson in the Historic Minnesota Building fire is now facing an additional charge for allegedly setting a fire in a separate apartment building on the same day.

Guadalupe Castillo, 37, is accused of starting multiple fires using paper towel rolls on April 3 in the Minnesota Historic Building, causing an estimated $300,000 worth of damage.

Castillo is now also accused of setting additional fires just hours earlier in a nearby residential building. 

According to court records, Castillo was seen on surveillance video entering a nearby building down the street at around 12:44 a.m. She went to an apartment on the 11th floor, and when she returned to the lobby she allegedly started multiple fires using a lighter. 

The fires included a trash can, a paper put in the drop box, a metal rack, and papers on a corkboard, charges allege. Firefighters arrived on the scene and extinguished some of the fires while other flames went out by themselves. 

Castillo was previously charged with two counts of first-degree arson in connection to the Minnesota Historic Building fire. She faces an additional charge of first-degree arson for the second apartment fire. 

Authorities have not provided a motive for the fires.