Home of woman who accused Roy Moore of misconduct destroyed by fire; authorities investigate arson

The home of a woman who accused failed Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore of sexual harassment was destroyed in a fire earlier this week, Al.com reported Friday.

Authorities are conducting an arson investigation.

What happened?

During the special election campaign last year, Tina Johnson accused Moore of grabbing her backside in his office in the early 1990s.

Al.com reported that Johnson's home in Gadsden, Alabama, burned down Tuesday morning.

According to the report, neighbors and utility workers called 911 shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday to report the fire. The Lookout Mountain Fire Department responded to the scene, but by the time they put out the flames, the family had lost everything they owned.

"I am devastated, just devastated," Johnson told Al.com on Friday morning. "We have just the clothes on our backs."

Al.com reported that the family wasn’t hurt as Johnson and her husband were at work and her grandson was at school during the blaze.

Any suspects in the fire?

Natalie Barton, a public information officer with the Etowah County Sheriff's Department, told Al.com the fire “is still under investigation by the Etowah County Arson Task Force.”

"A suspect of interest is being spoken to,” Barton said. “But there have been no charges, to my knowledge, related to the fire at this time."

Al.com reported that Johnson and her neighbor Kevin Tallant told the paper that other neighbors saw a young man “who had a history of public intoxication walking around the house before and during the blaze.”

"He's been trouble in the neighborhood for a while," Tallant said.

Tallant, who said he lives across the street from Johnson and her family, said another neighbor called him to say smoke was coming out from Johnson’s home and they were concerned that somebody might be inside.

"I threw on my coveralls and took off down the driveway," he said, adding that his wife called 911, but the dispatcher said the fire had already been reported.

"I got up there," Tallant said, "and [the fire] was already pretty well started. When the fire department got there, I started helping them."

What's next for Johnson?

Tallant said Johnson is “a super good neighbor.”

"I like people like that,” he said. “I hope they build back there."

Johnson said her family is currently living in a motel. She said she is thankful for her neighbors, who have been supportive of her family.

"My neighbors are just heartbroken, too," she said. "They're pulling together and helping us out."

Another woman who accused Moore of misconduct filed a lawsuit against him on Thursday. Leigh Corfman accused Moore of molesting her when she was 14. She filed a defamation lawsuit against him over statements he made during his campaign which, she said, attacked her character.

The allegations led to Moore losing the Senate race in the reliably red state to Democrat Doug Jones.