A jury has convicted a Waterloo man on charges of first degree arson. A Black Hawk County jury returned the verdict against Marcus Cosby Wednesday morning, following about a day-a-half of deliberations. The 38-year-old Waterloo man was found guilty of intentionally setting fire to a home on November 8th of last year.
The blaze gutted the house and left two residents – Phyllis Todd and Zina Dufauchard – with crippling burns. They collapsed while trying to escape the burning home and were later rescued by Waterloo firefighters. Emergency crews responding to the fire, found Cosby outside.
Cosby told rescuers he was passing by and discovered the fire, but authorities found traces of flammable liquid on his hands and clothing. During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Cosby set the home on fire after an argument with the two women. It’s a claim Cosby denied. Cosby now faces up to 25-years in prison. The sentencing date hasn’t been set.