Forsyth County woman suspected in fire that destroyed her home

CUMMING - A Forsyth County woman who claimed that a blaze that destroyed her home last month was racially motivated is now a suspect in that fire.

Forsyth County Fire Marshal Steve Anderson said Wednesday that Pamela Graf, 47, and her boyfriend, 46-year-old Steven Strobel, were arrested as a result of the investigation into the January 18 fire. Both are being held in the Forsyth County Jail, Graf on four counts of drug charges and Strobel on obstruction charges.

Anderson said Graf is considered a suspect in the arson, although she has not been charged with the crime at this point. "The investigation is progressing on a daily basis," said Anderson. "We are serving more search warrants today (Wednesday)."

The fire at Graf's home gained attention when the homeowner told investigators she had gone to Washington, D.C. for the inauguration when her home burned. She told investigators she was an Obama supporter and had received anonymous threats for having an Obama campaign sign in her yard. Racist graffiti was discovered spray-painted on a fence near the home at the time of the fire.