Holy Family Catholic Church has always been a welcoming place for Tucson’s homeless population.
On April 17, 2014 at about 2:30 p.m., Tucson Police Department detectives were on duty and in their unmarked police vehicle when they saw a fire at the Holy Family Catholic Church located at 338 West University Boulevard. The detectives requested that the Tucson Fire Department immediately respond to assist.
Detectives rushed into the building where they located a priest and 2 adult volunteers that were unaware of the fire. They were evacuated from the church and the detectives ensured no one else was inside the building. The Tucson Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire. No one was injured during the incident.
Detectives and the TFD Fire Investigations Unit determined that clothes and books were intentionally set on fire in the downstairs stairwell located near the front of the church. During the investigation, detectives obtained information that led them to 35-year old Glenda Jean Gomez.
On April 21st, detectives arrested Gomez in the area of Speedway Boulevard and 1st Avenue without incident. She was booked into the Pima County Jail for 1 count of Arson of an Occupied Structure and 1 count of Felony Criminal Damage.