No verdict yet in Lacey trial

As the Herald went to press Tuesday night, no verdict had been reached in the Caleb Lacey arson-murder trial. The jury began deliberating over whether Lacey was responsible for starting last year's North Lawrence fire that killed four people.

Lacey's trial headed to the jury late on Tuesday, Feb. 9, but their deliberations were interrupted by the major snowstorm that hit the area as well as the federal holidays of Lincoln's birthday and Presidents Day. Thursday, Feb. 11, was the only full-day of deliberations last week over whether Lacey set the Feb. 19, 2009, fire that killed 46-year-old Morena Vanegas, her 19-year-old son, Saul Preza, and daughters Susanna and Andrea Vanegas, 13 and 9. If Lacey is convicted he faces a sentence of up to 25 years to life in prison.

Lacey, who last winter was a first-year probationary volunteer with the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department, has been accused of dousing the only stairwell in the two-story building with gasoline, setting it afire and then driving to the firehouse, planning to be a hero by responding to the scene to put out the flames.

During the just-over-two-week trial, Lacey's defense attorney, Chris Cassar, argued that the father of the victim's family, Edit Vanegas, should have been investigated more thoroughly by police as a possible suspect, claiming that he did not make an effort to get his wife, daughters and stepsons out of the building. Edit Vanegas escaped by jumping out a second-floor window with two of his sons.

Visit liherald.com/fivetowns for updated news of the Lacey verdict.