ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando woman is facing arson charges after investigators said she burned religious objects in her rental home.
Marie Dorne, 49, told firefighters she was trying to rid the "evil" from her home on 18th Street in July 2014.
Neighbor John Hamilton t0ld Channel 9 that he called 911 when he saw smoke coming from the house.
"I smelled burning plastic or burning something and I called the fire department," Hamilton said.
Firefighters pulled Dorne from a window of the home. Crews said they found plastic dolls and religious items burning in each of the rooms.
"They said it was Santeria," Hamilton said.
Dorne told investigators she was trying to get demons out of her house and was "releasing the evil spirits."
Another residents said Dorne told her the house had evil spirits, but residents didn't expect her to start a fire.
"I'm very surprised the house didn't burn down," neighbor Rayna Metzger said.
Firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading and the home was mostly damaged on the inside, officials said.
Dorne was charged with arson and has since bonded out of the Orange County Jail.
WFTV
