Gwinnett pizzeria owner, boyfriend charged with arson after fire

The owner of a Duluth pizzeria and her boyfriend have been charged with first-degree arson after a fire at the business, Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services said.

Delilah Smith, 57, and Jerome Walker, 46, have both been charged with first-degree arson and possessing tools for the commission of a crime.

PREVIOUSLY | Arsonist sets Gwinnett pizzeria on fire, investigators say

Firefighters responded to Pepperoni’s Duluth Alehouse shortly after midnight on Jan. 2. A fire had burned, but had been put out by water from a melted water line from a fountain drink machine.

Fire investigators found “inconsistencies” in the information Smith and Walker were providing, according to a department release. Investigators believe “financial woes” could be a significant motive in the case.

Both Walker and Smith are being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Detention Center.

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