Arson Suspect Heather Meisel Was Trying To 'Send Message' To Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall, Court Docs Say
GLEN BURNIE, MD. (WJZ) — A Halethorpe woman arrested after allegedly throwing a molotov cocktail into a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in Glen Burnie will remain behind bars Wednesday night.
Heather Meisel waived her right to appear before a judge at a bail review hearing Wednesday afternoon, after the judge asked Meisel's public defender whether she was refusing to come before the bail hearing and her lawyer answered that, yes, she was.
She will be held without bond.
According to charging documents, the 43-year-old admitted to police to making the explosive device with items she had at home and throwing it into the place of worship with the intention of burning the building on February 13.
The device never went off. When police tried to detain her, she told them she was "royalty," court documents say.
Meisel is charged with first and second-degree attempted murder, attempted arson and defacing a religious property, among other charges.
In the charging documents, she told police her motive for setting off the explosive device was to "send a message."
Two people were inside the church during this incident. Investigators believe Meisel acted alone and there is no threat at this time.
Wednesday, Meisel's attorney requested a preliminary hearing in her case.