Woman Charged With Setting Exotic Dancer on Fire Wednesday, February 11, 2009
LOS ANGELES — A woman has pleaded not guilty to trying to kill an exotic dancer by dousing her with flammable liquid and setting her ablaze outside a Los Angeles area club.
Prosecutors on Wednesday charged 27-year-old Rianne Theriault-Odom with attempted premeditated murder, mayhem and torture. She allegedly exchanged words with the dancer, then set her on fire outside the Babes & Beer nightclub last Thursday.
Prosecutors declined to charge a man arrested with her, 22-year-old Nathaniel Petrillo.
The dancer, 27-year-old Roberta Dos Santos-Busby, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Theriault-Odom remained in custody under $1.03 million bail. Her case will be assigned to a public defender, according to the district attorney's office.
They call her Mia, but her real name is Roberta Abdue Dos Santos Busby. From Brazil. Lives in Simi. Single mother, two daughters, 4 and 8. Stripping part time in Tarzana. Just went back full because she lost her bill collector job. Rough times.
And that was before they set her on fire.
She's working the other night at Babes and Beer. Counting tips. Goes outside to meet a couple people, they douse with her something flammable, light her up. She's in critical condition.
Police are looking for the suspects, Rianne Theriault-Odom, 27, who might have been a dancer at the club and Nathaniel Petrillo, 22. Both have priors. Burglary for her, drug possession and credit card fraud for him. A real winning pair.
Why? Pissed off dancer and psychopath boyfriend, maybe? Busby grabbed a bigger share of tips? Did more dances? Who the fuck knows?
Like I said, rough times.