Plea deal offered in deadly Kingston fire

WILKES-BARRE — A woman charged with setting a fire that claimed the life of her husband in Kingston is reviewing a plea deal from prosecutors.

Lisa Starruick-Smalls, 61, was charged by Kingston police with setting fires to a pot of cream of wheat and oil on a kitchen stove and toilet paper and a fur coat inside her apartment on Holiday Drive in the Green Acres complex on Jan. 4, 2023, according to court records.

Starruick-Smalls exited the apartment leaving her husband, Wilbert K. Smalls, 74, asleep on a bed, court records say.

Wilbert Smalls was found by Kingston-Forty Fort firefighter Erik Derr who searched the smoke filled apartment. Derr dragged Wilbert Smalls outside where he was transported to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

An autopsy revealed Wilbert Smalls died from smoke inhalation. His death was ruled a homicide by the Luzerne County Coroner’s Office.

Starruick-Smalls underwent a mental health examination that delayed her trial on charges of criminal homicide, arson, aggravated arson and reckless burning.

During a brief status conference before Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough on Thursday, prosecutors provided Starruck-Smalls’ attorney, Joseph J. Grochal, with a plea agreement.

Grochal said he needs time to review the plea agreement with Starruick-Smalls, who remains jailed at the county correctional facility without bail.

Vough said he will review the plea offer Sept. 11.