In Accomack County Circuit Court Thursday morning, Charles Smith III signed his name next to 67 counts of arson and one count of conspiracy to commit arson, admitting guilt to all the offenses.
Smith and his fiancee, Tonya Bundick, are accused in nearly 70 fires on Virginia's Eastern Shore between November 2012 and April of this year. The couple was arrested April 2. Bundick was indicted on two counts -- arson and conspiracy to commit arson while Smith was indicted for 68 offenses.
Smith originally pleaded not guilty during his arraignment. Smith's attorney, Carl Bundick, says he and his client received more information after the initial plea.
"In the reality and looking at the evidence that was available against Mr. Smith, it becomes a question of, what's trying to be done is in his best interest," explained Carl Bundick. "And that's the philosophy I always try to follow."
In court, the Commonwealth's Attorney Gary Agar and Carl Bundick presented the judge with a file that included a joint stipulation of facts supporting indictments. There were also four DVDs of interviews done with Smith. WAVY.com found summaries of each arson count in the file.
For example, the first count of arson, on Nov. 12, 2012 in Parksley, Smith said in the document, Tonya Bundick, "suddenly had the idea to burn [the house] down." Smith said he eventually set the fire because he was feeling an emotional connection to his fiancee and didn't want to disappoint her.
Months later, on March 12, 2013, the old Whispering Pines Motel went up in flames. Smith said Tonya Bundick dropped him off and he walked through a field to get the the motel. Smith said he found 40 to 50 mattresses and chairs and lit them with a rag and cigarette lighter.
Smith told investigators, "I always wanted to see the Whispering Pines burn."
The next night, March 13, 2013, Smith said he and Tonya Bundick were headed home when they passed the old Mallards restaurant on Bayside Road. Smith explains how the former owner did not pay his mother for signs she once made for him. The thought made him mad so he lit beer boxes on fire that were inside the building.
WAVY's Liz Palka was in the courtroom Thursday and learned Smith will most likely be formally sentenced in December. It was also mentioned in court that Smith is on medication for bipolar disorder.
During a motion hearing in Accomack County Tuesday, attorneys representing Bundick quit, according to Accomack County Circuit Court Clerk, Teresa. Now, Bundick’s trial is postponed until she can find new representation. When the trial is rescheduled, it will take place in Virginia Beach, due to a change of venue granted by Judge Taylor earlier this month.
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