About three weeks ago, Gary Noel set fire to his wife's house and said it's because his wife left him for a woman -- "the bitch deserved it," as he explained.
It turns out, at least, according to his estranged wife, that she sure didn't leave him for a woman, and explains that Noel "loves drugs."
See also:
-Gary Noel Set Fire to Wife's House, but Claims "Bitch Deserved It" for Leaving Him for a Lady
-Admitted Arsonist Gary Noel's Relationship Playing Out on Local TV Station
Patty Schooley tells New Times that the woman she was living with was a roommate -- another woman who was escaping a violent relationship.
Schooley says it was last Christmas when her husband first became violent, as she claims Noel threw a pair of scissors at her. She only stayed because one of her sons asked her to give him one more chance.
Based on what Schooley tells us, it only got worse.
Schooley says she's been trying to hide from Noel, but even now, Noel has called her from jail, and even blew her kisses at his last court appearance.
When Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies responded to the fire at Schooley's house a few weeks ago, they "immediately recognized" Noel, 55, due to previous arrests for violating an order of protection, according to court documents.
Nobody was in the house, but after the fire was extinguished, a cat was found dead in the master bedroom.
According to the court documents, Noel started asking, "Did the bed burn up?"
"The bitch deserved it," Noel said, according to the documents.
Now, Schooley's out of a house. She says the ceiling's just gone, the "smell was so thick you would puke," and it's just unlivable.
Schooley said she didn't know at the time that her husband had been doing drugs "for years and years," but says he blew a lot of her money on drugs.
Noel's facing numerous felony charges, including arson of an occupied structure, criminal damage, burglary, and endangerment. Noel was ordered to be held without bond for violating his probation.
