Prayer vigil held for elderly woman still recovering from devastating Pasco fire
An 88-year-old Pasco woman remains hospitalized in Seattle, recovering after being injured while escaping her burning home a week ago.
Lillian Parra was listed Tuesday in satisfactory condition at Harborview Medical Center, said Susan Gregg, spokeswoman for UW Medicine.
Members of her church gathered Friday for a prayer vigil for her outside the destroyed Court Street home to pray for her recovery.
She shared the home with her husband, Ernesto, for nearly 30 years. The couple were former Pasco School District employees.
“The Parra and Escobar family would like to thank all the individuals who have contributed food and support during this tragic time in our lives,” the family said in a statement to the Herald.
“Thank you to our close neighbors, the Pasco Police Department , the Tri-Cities fire departments, Kadlec and Custom Restoration. Special thank you to Jerry Van Houdt and Rev. Gary Franz from St. Patrick’s Parish and all the individuals who came out to pray in front of our home,” they wrote.
Early morning fire
According to reports, Lillian Parra struggled to get out of the house after hearing the smoke alarms go off about 2:40 a.m. on Aug. 21. She suffered mild to moderate burns, and was taken to a local hospital before being flown to Harborview.
The teen accused of starting the fire, Landon Keene, 18, entered an innocent plea Tuesday to one count of first-degree arson in Franklin County Superior Court. His trial was set for Oct. 25.
He is currently being held in lieu of $1 million bail in the Franklin County jail.
Security camera footage shows a man using a silver-capped bottle starting a fire at the base of the Parra’s house that morning. The man left and then returned a short time later and added something to the fire to make it bigger.
Later, police found spray-painted graffiti on a nearby home that referred to the Parras.
A former school resource officer identified Keene in the footage. Police found a bottle and a bag matching the ones seen on the video in his bedroom, according to court documents filed in the case. They also discovered gloves smelling of gas in the washing machine.
Keene’s stepfather identified the spray paint as the same type and color that he had at his home.
Keene has a history of lashing out and threatening his family and even stabbing the family dog in the past year, court records show.
Starting in March 2022, Keene was charged in three cases in Juvenile Court that involved destructive behavior that in some cases was fueled by alcohol and apparent mental health issues, according to court documents.
