BRIDGEPORT — The city’s top arson investigator has been arrested for allegedly hiring a man to torch her Mercedes for the insurance money.
Kimberly Biehn, 41, a veteran police detective who is also a member of the Police Department’s Identification Unit, was arrested by Waterbury police and charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree arson, fraud and insurance fraud. She is free after posting bond. Biehn’s lawyer, John R. Gulash, declined comment on the arrest. Elaine Ficarra, spokeswoman for Mayor Bill Finch, said Biehn has been suspended without pay pending an investigation by the city’s Office of Internal Affairs. As a member of the identification unit, Biehn has been actively involved in several major crime investigations, including murder cases. One of her duties on the unit is fingerprint analysis. Law enforcement officials, who asked not to be identified because the case is pending, said her arrest could have a serious affect both on pending cases she has been involved with and previously disposed cases she testified in.
Noted criminal defense lawyer Edward Gavin said that he believes Biehn’s arrest will compromise her ability to testify in pending cases, but he said it will probably have no effect on cases already adjudicated. “I’m sure most of her work can be verified so I doubt her arrest will cause any investigation to fold,” he said. According to Waterbury Police Capt. Christopher Corbett, in December 2008 Biehn reported her 2003 Mercedes Benz sedan stolen in Bridgeport. That car was subsequently found burning in Waterbury, he said. The car was totaled by the fire. He said Biehn, who owed $17,000 on the car, reported the theft to her insurance company, which compensated her for the loss. During the investigation of the burned-out car, Corbett said police located a DNA sample that was later determined to match the DNA of 35-year-old Samuel Encarnacion who, court records show, has a history of criminal convictions, including third-degree assault, violation of a protective order and violation of probation. He said after questioning Encarnacion, Corbett said they were able to determine that he had set fire to the car at the behest of Biehn so that she could collect on her insurance. He would not say whether Biehn paid Encarnacion to torch her car. Corbett said Biehn agreed to surrender after being told there was a warrant for her arrest. He said Encarnacion is being charged with first-degree arson.
Source: www.ConnecticutPost.com
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