2 arrested in connection with arson, burglary of New Smyrna Beach home

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Two people were arrested on arson, burglary and theft charges in connection with a house fire Wednesday in the New Smyrna Beach area.

David L. Debenedictis, 35, of New Smyrna Beach, and Angela Halcomb, 32, of Port Orange, were each in custody in the Volusia County Branch Jail on Friday morning.

Crews responded to a fire at a home on Turnbull Bay Road about 6 a.m. Wednesday. No one was in the home at the time of the fire.

A safe that was cut open with a saw was found inside the home. Guns, jewelry and cash were missing from the safe, deputies said. Two trailers were also missing from the property, and an industrial grill was missing from a shed.

On Thursday afternoon, New Smyrna Beach police found Halcomb in an unrelated stolen vehicle. They noticed a Florida license plate sitting on the rear floorboard that belonged to one of the trailers reported stolen after the fire.

Halcomb was also in possession of several pieces of jewelry when she was arrested, deputies said. There was jewelry sitting on the front passenger seat and a pressure washer in the back of the vehicle.

The owner of the torched home confirmed the jewelry and pressure washer were hers.

Deputies said Halcomb had acted as a lookout while Debenedictis went into the house and broke into the safe.

Detectives believe Debenedictis injured himself while breaking into the safe and set a fire to destroy evidence.

Debenedictis, who has served time in prison on convictions for armed robbery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and grand theft, was being held in jail Friday on a $75,000 bond on charges of accessory to arson, armed burglary, grand theft, accessory to grand theft and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Halcomb was being held on $62,000 bond on her charges of armed burglary, grand theft, accessory to arson, grand theft firearm and grand theft of a motor vehicle.

Cox Media Group