Elizabeth Susan Leighton, 69, of Scotland
Elizabeth Susan Leighton, 69, of Scotland, has been charged with arson and property damage following an incident on September 6, 2025, according to court documents filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County.
Leighton is facing two charges: malicious burning in the first degree, a felony, and malicious destruction of property valued under $1,000, a misdemeanor.
According to charging documents, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a property on Ridgell Street in Scotland for a report of arson. Witnesses told investigators that Leighton allegedly admitted at a local bar that she had set fire to the property of an absent homeowner.
Court records state that a fire was discovered on the victim’s property, limited to a large wood pile, and did not damage nearby barns or houses. Video evidence later showed Leighton on the property striking a 2006 red Ford Mustang with a pole, causing an estimated $1,000 in damage.
Deputies located Leighton outside Buzzy’s Country Store, where she reportedly told officers she had “done bad things” and admitted to starting the fire. When asked what she used, Leighton stated she lit the fire with a blue lighter found in her purse.
She was taken into custody and transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center, where she was advised of her rights. When questioned further, Leighton allegedly stated she started the fire because she was mad but admitted she “had nothing to be mad at them about”.
Leighton was initially held without bond but was later released on her own recognizance after a bond review hearing on September 8, 2025.
Her next hearings are scheduled in the St. Mary’s District Court, including a competency hearing on October 2, 2025, and a preliminary hearing on October 7, 2025.
Elizabeth Susan Leighton, 69, of Scotland
