Widow Gets 4 Years for Burning Million-Dollar Conn. Home for Insurance Money

A widowed mother of two from Florida has been sentenced to four years in prison for burning down her former million-dollar home in Connecticut for the insurance money.

The Connecticut Post reports that 39-year-old Amanda Azevedo pleaded with a state judge in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on April 24 to let her go home and be with her children. But Judge John Blawie imposed the prison time.

A jury convicted the Clearwater, Florida, resident last month of arson, fraud and other crimes in the burning of her former $1.4 million home in Monroe, Connecticut, in 2008. The 3,660-square-foot home with an indoor pool was destroyed.

At the time of the fire, Azevedo’s husband was hospitalized with an undisclosed illness. He died in 2010.

A woman accused of helping Azevedo awaits trial on arson charges.