Two Sedalia residents who were charged with a Class D Felony for Second-Degree Arson for allegedly starting a fire in their own home on May 4, 2018, have entered pleas and have been sentenced.
A probable-cause statement says authorities responded to structure fire at a residence in the 2700 block of Wing Avenue. Authorities contacted the residents of the home- Robert Modrall and Nicole Vallery- who reportedly were staying at a nearby motel due to problems with a water heater.
During the investigation, the presence of “weathered gasoline” was found in a carpet sample taken from the basement, and the water heater was in good working order. Also, video surveillance showed both subjects leaving the motel about 20 minutes before the fire was reported; and they returned several minutes afterward.
Online court documents say Vallery entered an Alford plea on March 4; and Modrall enter an Alford plea on April 15. Each was sentenced to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. However each sentence was suspended and each defendant was placed on five years of supervised probation.