Utah man accused of killing city employee and setting her car on fire

Man pleads not guilty to 13 counts including aggravated murder and arson

West Valley Code Enforcement Officer Jill Robinson checks a home for violations in West Valley City, Utah (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP)

A Utah man has pleaded not guilty to killing a city employee and lighting her car on fire after she performed a routine follow-up check at his house.

Police say homeowner Kevin W Billings shot and killed West Valley City code enforcement officer Jill Robinson before setting fire to her vehicle, and also to his nextdoor neighbour’s home. The 64-year-old allegedly told witnesses Ms Robinson “got what she deserved” after “years of harassment”.

On Friday, he pleaded not guilty to 13 counts, including aggravated murder and arson, according to the Associated Press.

Ms Robinson worked as a code enforcement officer for the city, addressing violations such as overly cluttered gardens or abandoned vehicles. Unarmed code enforcement officers usually issue “courtesy notes” to residents to remind them to clean up their property. The notices can lead to a court case if not properly addressed.

It was unclear how far Ms Robinson was in this process with Mr Billings at the time of her death, though city officials acknowledged the two had had “previous dealings”.

“She was just out here doing her job today,” West Valley City councilman Steve Buhler said on the day of Ms Robinson’s death. “This is something we would not anticipate and expect to have happen in our city.”

At least two dogs were also killed in the fire that Mr Billings allegedly started at his neighbour’s house, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The residents were unharmed.

Police say the elderly man “meticulously” cut a hole in the fence between the two homes before the arson. He also allegedly stored an assault-style rifle, a handgun, bolt cutters, a propane torch, and several gas containers between them.

“They think he was trying to kill them,” family spokeswoman Pam Nichols said, describing the neighbour as “not mentally well”.

Mr Billings reportedly surrendered to police in his driveway without incident. All of the city’s code officers were temporarily pulled from duty in the aftermath.

Ms Robinson had worked for the city for more than 10 years, and coworkers recalled her as a trusted colleague with a “great smile”. She was also a single mother of four, who her children described as a “total badass”.

“She was our comfort, our dance partner, our biggest fan, our April-Fools Day Prankster, our actual bone-marrow-donating life-saver, our Super-Mom, our sweet ‘Zelma,’ and the hardest worker we ever knew,” her children wrote in her obituary.

Mr Billings could face the death penalty if convicted of aggravated murder.