COMMERCE, Texas — A woman has been arrested after police say she was found carrying multiple Molotov cocktails during an investigation into a series of suspicious fires across the city.
According to the Commerce Police Department, officers and firefighters had been investigating several fires reported within city limits over a 36-hour period when a significant break in the case occurred overnight on February 21, 2026.
Officer Gomez, working night patrol, observed an unreported fire at Centennial Park. While checking the area, officers encountered a woman leaving the immediate vicinity and detained her for investigation.
Police said officers discovered nine incendiary devices, commonly known as Molotov cocktails, inside a backpack carried by the suspect. Investigators also located additional materials used to construct the devices along with a lighter.
The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Jamia Sierra Howell of Commerce, who was taken into custody and transported to the Commerce Police Department.
Police Chief Corley Weatherford said that during interviews, Howell admitted to manufacturing and “testing” multiple Molotov cocktails at different locations throughout Commerce.
Howell has been charged with:
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Two counts of Arson
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Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
Officials say the investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges are possible as detectives continue reviewing recent fire incidents connected to the case.
