Kinsela Murder Trial Begins Monday

The trial of an Easley man charged with murder and arson in connection with the 2010 death of his wife is set to begin Monday morning.

Don Kinsela was arrested January 18, 2011, six months after the fire that killed his wife, Cheryl Kinsela.

He is accused of killing Cheryl Kinsela by setting a storage building on fire while she was inside. 

On July 3, 2010, police and firefighters responded to a call at the Kinsela’s 131 Beverly Drive residence.

An Easley police officer said that when he arrived at the residence, he saw thick smoke pouring from a workshop at the home.

Don Kinsela was found lying outside the workshop with a garden hose, according to police.  

Don Kinsela told the officer his wife was still inside. The police officer said Kinsela had to be restrained from going back into the workshop.

Within three minutes of arrival, firefighters rescued Cheryl Kinsela from the closet beneath the workshop’s stairwell where she was trapped.

Husband and wife were both taken to Baptist Easley Hospital, where Cheryl was pronounced dead.  

Don Kinsela suffered minor injuries from the fire.

Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley said Cheryl Kinsela died of smoke inhalation.

Don Kinsela told police he’d been refueling a weed eater in the workshop when the machine exploded.

Easley Police requested that the State Law Enforcement Division assist with the investigation.

Agents from the Easley Police Department, SLED and the Bureua of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives took Kinsela into custody after he was indicted by a Grand Jury.

The trial is expected to take two weeks, according to Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office officials.