Authorities: Pennsylvania Attorney Set Fire to Own Guest House

A central Pennsylvania attorney who served prison time in connection with the scandal tied to the 1987 suicide of state treasurer Budd Dwyer is now accused of setting fire to his own guest house five years ago.

Seventy-five-year-old William Trickett Smith was charged Wednesday with arson, tampering with evidence and insurance fraud in the May 2007 fire at his Swatara Township, Dauphin County home.

Investigators say Smith also claimed to have found a spray-painted message on his home just hours after the black candidate he represented in a ballot dispute won a county commissioner primary.

The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reports Smith is being held on $10,000 bail. It wasn’t clear if he had an attorney.

Smith’s son is serving a 35-year sentence for killing his wife in Peru.