Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Stuart Moody (DOB: 10/1/83), with a last known address of Oak Hill Road, North Kingstown, pleaded guilty on May 29, 2012 before Superior Court Justice Stephen P. Nugent to first degree arson for the January 5, 2011 fire of the Tuesday Morning store in the Best Buy shopping plaza on West Main Road in Middletown.
Moody was sentenced to 25 years, with 10 to serve and the remainder suspended with probation, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $446,865.69 and a $25,000 fine. Moody will receive credit for time served on home confinement since January 18, 2011, which was set as a condition of his bail.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that on January 5, 2011, Moody set fire to Tuesday Morning, a discount and closeout store. Moody was employed at the store at the time of the arson. The fire caused significant damage to the store, as well as to the neighboring Cappuccinos bakery and Sedona fitness center.
State Fire Marshal Chief of Investigations Michael? Sweeney and Middletown Police Detective Walter Mey led the investigation and Special Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Newport County Unit James Callaghan prosecuted the case on behalf of the State.